ABSTRACT Mutual support groups are increasingly implemented in higher education settings across high‐income countries to promote peer‐based support, with demonstrated benefits for emotional well‐being and social connectedness. However, their impact on other domains of students' lives remains underexplored, particularly in low‐ and middle‐income contexts. This study investigates the outcomes of mutual support groups by examining students' perceived changes in mental well‐being, academic skills, career certainty, social support attitudes, interpersonal functioning, and attitudes toward seeking psychological help. Using a qualitative retrospective approach, open‐ended responses were collected from 20 Kosovar students (aged 18–25 years) at a major public university after a 5‐week support group program. Data were thematically analyzed using a deductive approach based on predefined themes aligned with the study's objectives. Findings revealed that participating in mutual support groups contributed to reduced stress, lower anxiety, and improved mood, as students felt heard and emotionally supported by peers facing similar challenges. Students adopted more effective study habits and time management techniques through the sharing of practical strategies and encouragement. Open discussions about career uncertainty fostered clarity and confidence in students' academic and professional goals. Hearing from the perspectives of others on mental health reduced internalized stigma and increased willingness to seek psychological support. The group setting also enabled students to develop stronger interpersonal skills, including empathy, emotional expression, and a sense of connection and belonging. This study highlights the potential of mutual support groups as effective peer‐led supplements in higher education by emphasizing improvements in student well‐being, academic development, and mental health attitudes.
A Relational View of Psychological Empowerment and Sense of Community in Academic Contexts: A Preliminary Study
Scholars need to pay attention to understand the factors that shape the interactions between individuals and social groups. Constructs like Psychological Sense of Community (PSoC) and Psychological Empowerment (PE) are powerful constructs used to evaluate the antecedents and the consequences of individual attachment to social settings. In parallel, recent advances in network analysis show that the position occupied within whole networks and ego-centric networks are relational factors that affect the subjective perception of membership to social groups. Studies that are conducted in organizational and community settings show strong associations between PSoC and PE. However, these connections have rarely been evaluated within natural settings such as the classroom context. On the other hand, although the theoretic basis of PSoC and PE claims that both processes are formed in a relational way, there are few studies that empirically evaluate the effects of social connectedness on the emergence of PSoC-referred to the classroom-and PE referred to academic-task development. The aim of this research is to determine the effects that the position occupied in formal and informal exchange networks induce on PSoC and PE dimensions. Sixty-four students enrolled in a master degree program (women = 68.8%, Mean age = 26.09, SD = 3.88) participated in this cross-sectional study. Multivariate analyses and network analyses were performed to test the hypotheses under study. The main research finding is that PSoC and PE are synergistic constructs that mutually shape to each other. In relational terms, by sending several nominations in informal networks, it is possible to generate notable impacts on some PSoC dimensions, while receipt of a wide number of nominations in formal contact networks is associated with high levels of PE. In addition, individuals who present high levels of PE are located in the core of formal exchange networks. These results are discussed in order to design actions to increase PSoC and PE in postgraduate academic settings.
The convoy model: explaining social relations from a multidisciplinary perspective
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Social relations are a key aspect of aging and the life course. In this paper, we trace the scientific origins of the study of social relations, focusing in particular on research grounded in the convoy model. DESIGN AND METHODS: We first briefly review and critique influential historical studies to illustrate how the scientific study of social relations developed. Next, we highlight early and current findings grounded in the convoy model that have provided key insights into theory, method, policy, and practice in the study of aging. RESULTS: Early social relations research, while influential, lacked the combined approach of theoretical grounding and methodological rigor. Nevertheless, previous research findings, especially from anthropology, suggested the importance of social relations in the achievement of positive outcomes. Considering both life span and life course perspectives and grounded in a multidisciplinary perspective, the convoy model was developed to unify and consolidate scattered evidence while at the same time directing future empirical and applied research. Early findings are summarized, current evidence presented, and future directions projected. IMPLICATIONS: The convoy model has provided a useful framework in the study of aging, especially for understanding predictors and consequences of social relations across the life course.
Social research
Social research is research conducted by social scientists following a systematic plan. Social research methodologies can be classified as quantitative and qualitative.[1]
You have more ways to connect than ever, but deep friendship feels hard to find – here’s how to build better connections
Despite being more connected than any previous generation, many young people report struggling to build friendships that provide a genuine sense of closeness.
how to support people who have depression
Admit you don’t know what to say Express “I care” Remind them that they matters Check them regularly Ask how I can help, but be specific (“Could I do X?” rather than “How can I help you?“) Encourage them to see professional treatment To listen without interruptions Only claim understanding if you g...
Amplifying climate resilience: The impact of social protection, social cohesion, and social capital on public support for climate change action
Traditional climate action strategies often overlook the critical role of social cohesion. This study explores how social protection programs and community unity can bolster climate resilience and ...
s21e02: What Does it Mean to be Friends?
0.0 Context Setting Wednesday, 14 January 2026 in Portland, Oregon where while the conditions in the U.S. may not be argued to be fascist as such (i.e. the...
Volunteering and Civic Action: Boundaries Blurring, Boundaries Redrawn
The aim of this introduction to the special issue is to call into question the presumed conceptual divide between volunteering and civic action and suggest an analytical tool and four perspectives that bring to light the varying meanings of popular engagement. Volunteering and civic action are laden with different moral meanings, are associated with different theoretical approaches and, just as important, have been assigned different roles in society. This conceptual divide is reflected in the academic debate. Only rarely, however, has the academic debate explored and discussed how the meaning of volunteering and civic action has changed historically. Therefore, we argue for a contextual and relational interpretation of the different forms of popular engagement instead of the application of essentialist definitions of volunteering and civic action. In order to examine the variety of popular engagement without being caught up in pre-made or taken-for-granted conceptualisations of volunteering and civic action as two separate forms of popular engagement, we propose approaching variations of popular engagement with respect to two criteria: first, to what degree popular engagement is enacted in institutionalised spheres of politics or in social public spheres and, second, to what degree actions of popular engagement are controversial or operating in line with what is widely agreed upon and dominant in public opinion. Moreover, we argue that history, discourses, politics and a relational approach are four crucial perspectives in order to reveal the varying meanings of popular engagement.
Home | Reasons To Stay
When the world feels heavy, a kind word can make a difference. Receive anonymous letters from people who have been there. No pressure, no spam—just a quiet reminder that you are not alone.
the role of the university
i am over halfway through my degree at cambridge, and i am a little underwhelmed
Money for mutual resilience: Introducing Blacksky Cash
Mutual aid has always been about more than money. But money, shared intentionally, can be a powerful expression of solidarity. This is us building toward that future.
why do we assume progress should feel good?
I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve achieved something and genuinely felt lasting satisfaction.
Is Your Social Life Missing Something? This Is For You.
Podcast Episode · The Ezra Klein Show · 02/03/2026 · 1h 31m
We could be building a better world with our students. Why are we disempowering them instead?
And why did our constructionism impulse die when it was most needed?
Philosophy Officer on Instagram: "I AM SO EMOTIONALLY MATURE I have massive problems with this term. Most people would say it means something along the lines of: the ability to understand, process, regulate or communicate emotions in a healthy way. Now the issue is that all of the terms you use to explain it leave so much room for interpretation the definition becomes almost vacuous. To understand an emotion means to know what caused it? To know the impact it has on you physiologically? To understand how it affects your cognition? To know how it affects others? Same goes with the term healthy, get far enough into a discussion on what it means to be healthy and people will start to disagree. Mental health? Physical? Communal? Spiritual? What’s more is that this term is thrown around in place of simple personality traits or individual quirks. Because someone is more emotional are they now less mature because they have an objectively more difficult time regulating them? Is the person with a dark sense of humour immature because he can’t hold in a laugh when everyone else finds the situation morbid or cruel? I think, to a great extent, it’s a bit of a shield or barrier of a term that absolves ourselves from taking responsibility for our behaviours. At the end of the day we know ourselves best, or at least better than most people. This means we best understand our emotions, how we regulate them, how we control them etc. We have this epistemic bias towards ourselves, since we simply know more about ourselves therefore we will often reason that others have less. Sorry I couldn’t polish off my ideas more I gotta run bye friends"
102K likes, 186 comments - the_philofficer on July 6, 2026: "I AM SO EMOTIONALLY MATURE I have massive problems with this term. Most people would say it means something along the lines of: the ability to understand, process, regulate or communicate emotions in a healthy way. Now the issue is that all of the terms you use to explain it leave so much room for interpretation the definition becomes almost vacuous. To understand an emotion means to know what caused it? To know the impact it has on you physiologically? To understand how it affects your cognition? To know how it affects others? Same goes with the term healthy, get far enough into a discussion on what it means to be healthy and people will start to disagree. Mental health? Physical? Communal? Spiritual? What’s more is that this term is thrown around in place of simple personality traits or individual quirks. Because someone is more emotional are they now less mature because they have an objectively more difficult time regulating them? Is the person with a dark sense of humour immature because he can’t hold in a laugh when everyone else finds the situation morbid or cruel? I think, to a great extent, it’s a bit of a shield or barrier of a term that absolves ourselves from taking responsibility for our behaviours. At the end of the day we know ourselves best, or at least better than most people. This means we best understand our emotions, how we regulate them, how we control them etc. We have this epistemic bias towards ourselves, since we simply know more about ourselves therefore we will often reason that others have less. Sorry I couldn’t polish off my ideas more I gotta run bye friends".
