TY - JOUR
T1 - Relationships between social interactions, basic psychological needs, and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic
AU - Dimmock, James
AU - Krause, Amanda E.
AU - Rebar, Amanda
AU - Jackson, Ben
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Objective: Social lockdowns associated with COVID-19 have led individuals to increasingly rely on video conferencing and other technology-based interactions to fulfil social needs. The extent to which these interactions, as well as traditional face-to-face interactions, satisfied psychological needs and supported wellbeing during different periods of the COVID-19 pandemic is yet to be elucidated. In this study, university students’ social interactions (both technology-based and face-to-face), psychological needs, and wellbeing were assessed at six time points across four months of government-enforced restrictions in Australia. Design: Repeated survey assessment. Main outcome measures: Basic psychological need satisfaction; general wellbeing. Results: Results demonstrated that, at the within-subjects level, relatedness satisfaction (feeling understood by, cared for, and connected to others) significantly mediated the relationship between technology-based interaction and wellbeing. Autonomy satisfaction (self-initiation and feeling ownership over decisions and behaviours) mediated the relationship between face-to-face interactions and wellbeing at the within-person level. Conclusion: Discussion is centred on the importance of technology-based interactions for needs satisfaction and wellbeing during periods of social isolation.
AB - Objective: Social lockdowns associated with COVID-19 have led individuals to increasingly rely on video conferencing and other technology-based interactions to fulfil social needs. The extent to which these interactions, as well as traditional face-to-face interactions, satisfied psychological needs and supported wellbeing during different periods of the COVID-19 pandemic is yet to be elucidated. In this study, university students’ social interactions (both technology-based and face-to-face), psychological needs, and wellbeing were assessed at six time points across four months of government-enforced restrictions in Australia. Design: Repeated survey assessment. Main outcome measures: Basic psychological need satisfaction; general wellbeing. Results: Results demonstrated that, at the within-subjects level, relatedness satisfaction (feeling understood by, cared for, and connected to others) significantly mediated the relationship between technology-based interaction and wellbeing. Autonomy satisfaction (self-initiation and feeling ownership over decisions and behaviours) mediated the relationship between face-to-face interactions and wellbeing at the within-person level. Conclusion: Discussion is centred on the importance of technology-based interactions for needs satisfaction and wellbeing during periods of social isolation.
KW - basic psychological needs
KW - communication
KW - self-determination theory
KW - social interaction
KW - Technology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85106248905&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/08870446.2021.1921178
DO - 10.1080/08870446.2021.1921178
M3 - Article
C2 - 33998909
AN - SCOPUS:85106248905
SN - 0887-0446
VL - 37
SP - 457
EP - 469
JO - Psychology and Health
JF - Psychology and Health
IS - 4
ER -