What about students’ ABC needs?

Did you know this?

Autonomy, connectedness - relatedness or bonding - and competence: these are the three universal basic psychological needs which are key to your psychological well-being. Together they form the ABC of psychology. The better these needs are met, the more energy you have, the more flexibly you have to act and the more resilient you are at coping with difficulties. When these basic needs are not entirely met, you are less likely to feel good and you will be more vulnerable to emotional problems.

Welzijnsmonitor (Van Hees, Bruffaerts, Vansteenkiste et al., 2023)

Because the online world plays an important role in students’ lives, there is growing attention to the unique role of ABC experiences in both the online and offline worlds.

Do students sometimes seek compensation in the online world for needs that are not satisfied in the offline world?

Both offline and online, students report that their basic psychological needs for autonomy, relatedness and competence are more satisfied than frustrated. Connectedness is the most satisfied need, followed by autonomy and competence. The basic needs are more satisfied offline than online.

58%

report high satisfaction for relatedness, offline.

27%

indicate that their competence needs are greatly or very greatly frustrated offline they feel insecure and feel like they are failing

Conclusions

  • Relatedness is the most fulfilled need, followed by autonomy and competence;
  • Students report that their basic needs are better met offline than online;
  • Students derive less satisfaction from their online than from their offline contacts;
  • Offline need satisfaction has a unique, strong, positive association with vitality, life satisfaction and better sleep quality.
Back to the results 2022-2023
Back to the results 2022-2023