Date of Award
5-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Dr. Karen Kochel
Abstract
Belonging is a core human need that shapes students' emotional well-being, motivation, and academic persistence (Baumeister & Leary, 1995; Strayhorn, 2019). Students who experience a strong sense of belonging in higher education report lower levels of stress and depression, greater engagement, and higher academic achievement (Gillen-O'Neel, 2021; Meehan & Howells, 2019). Yet belonging remains a fragile and uneven experience, shaped by social relationships, campus climate, and institutional structures (Covarrubias, 2024; Valdez & Golash-Boza, 2020).
This study addressed two primary research questions: (1) How do experiences of belonging differ across students with varying social and identity backgrounds? (2) What factors foster or hinder students' sense of belonging in higher education? Using a mixed-methods approach, 219 undergraduate students completed surveys assessing institutional belonging and provided open-ended narratives describing experiences of feeling that they do and do not belong. Quantitative analyses revealed that students with historically underrepresented identities reported significantly lower belonging than their peers. Qualitative thematic analysis revealed that peer emotional support, affinity groups, and faculty care are critical for fostering belonging, whereas barriers included microaggressions, cultural invisibility, and institutional silence following harm. Students emphasized that while peer relationships provided immediate emotional support, sustainable belonging required consistent institutional commitment beyond symbolic diversity efforts. These findings underscore the importance of relational responsibility, structural accountability, and cultural affirmation in shaping inclusive educational environments.
Recommended Citation
Zhou, Ziran (Ted), "The Fragility of Belonging: Interpersonal and Institutional Factors Shaping Student Experiences in Higher Education" (2025). Honors Theses. 1864.
https://scholarship.richmond.edu/honors-theses/1864
