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Faculty of Graduate Studies

Yen Yen Sammi Wong

  • BA (University of Victoria, 2022)

Notice of the Final Oral Examination for the Degree of Master of Science

Topic

Beyond the Classroom: How Friendship Networks and Groups Shape Student Well-Being

Department of Psychology

Date & location

  • Thursday, August 13, 2026

  • 10:00 A.M.

  • Cornett Building, Room B145

Reviewers

Supervisory Committee

  • Dr. Kelci Harris, Department of Psychology, University of Victoria (Supervisor)

  • Dr. Frederick Grouzet, Department of Psychology, UVic (Member) 

External Examiner

  • Dr. Breanna Lawrence, Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies, UVic 

Chair of Oral Examination

  • Dr. Lynne Marks, Department of History, UVic 

Abstract

The present study examined associations between friendships, engagement in student-led groups, and well-being in undergraduate students. An initial sample of 232 participants was collected. After screening, a final sample of 173 was included in phase one of analysis and a final sample of 191 was included in phase two of analysis. Drawing on both social identity theory (SIT) and self-determination theory (SDT), well-being was operationalized as basic psychological needs satisfaction and frustration. Friendship was operationalized as close others within one’s social convoy in phase one of analyses and as total friends in student-led group for phase two of analyses. Using survey data and multiple regression analyses, this study tested whether one’s social convoy friends, friends in group, and engagement in group interacted. Engagement was analyzed using two different scales, a newly created scale for the purpose of this study (ESGS) and a previously validated scale (VFI). Results showed that one’s social convoy friends predicted higher need satisfaction but did not predict need frustration. Both ways of measuring engagement had positive effects need satisfaction but not need frustration. The number of friends in student-led group and interaction effects were not significant. These findings suggest that friendships within one’s social convoy and engagement in student-led groups are both important but distinct pathways for basic psychological need satisfaction.

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