Motivational Antecedents of Students' Sense of Belonging to University: The Role of Autonomy, Competence, Relatedness and Individual Interest

A lack of sense of belonging to the university among students may contribute significantly to educational underachievement and adaptation challenges within higher education institutions. However, little is known about the antecedents of students' sense of belonging. This study aimed to determine the role of autonomy, competence, communication and individual interest in predicting students' sense of belonging to the university.

This study employed a descriptive-correlational design. The research sample comprised all undergraduate students at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad during the first semester of the 2008-2019 academic year. A total of 450 students were chosen through stratified random sampling. Data were gathered using questionnaires on The Basic Needs Satisfaction in General Scale, Individual Interest, and Belonging to the University Scale. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 24, employing Pearson's correlation and multiple regression analysis.

The study uncovered significant reciprocal relationships between the fulfillment of needs for competence, autonomy, relatedness, individual interest, and the sense of university belonging. Furthermore, multiple regression analysis indicated that, except for individual interest, the factors of competence, autonomy, and communication significantly forecasted the students' sense of belonging to the university.

The findings underscore the critical importance of meeting fundamental psychological needs in shaping students' sense of belonging to their university. These insights could serve as a foundation for devising effective strategies in the realm of higher education.