Han Rong, Bos Vicki, Wiebusch Fiona, Broughton Mary C, Dingle Genevieve A
School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
The Queensland Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4067, Australia.
Behav Sci (Basel). 2025 Apr 24;15(5):575. doi: 10.3390/bs15050575.
International students beginning university face challenges, including loneliness and isolation. Research shows that choir singing can enhance social bonds and emotional wellbeing. However, its effect on international students remains underexplored. This study applied a social identity perspective to evaluate the impact of participation in a university community choir on international students' university identification (i.e., sense of belonging), loneliness, and wellbeing. A non-randomised controlled study was conducted with 53 international students at UQ, including 31 UQ Voices choir members ( = 24.90, 71.0% female) and 22 non-choir students ( = 24.18, 72.7% female). Participants completed measures of university identification, loneliness, and wellbeing at baseline (pre) and after 6-8 weeks (post), along with group-based psychosocial resources measures. Data were analysed using 2 (choir, control) × 2 (pre, post) ANOVAs. A significant interaction effect emerged for university identification (sense of belonging), with choir participants improving more than controls. A main effect of group emerged for wellbeing, with choir members reporting higher wellbeing. No significant effects for loneliness, which was not elevated at baseline. Choir identification was significantly related to psychosocial resources (self-esteem, control, meaning and purpose, and mood improvement). Choir singing may serve as a preventative intervention to support international students' wellbeing by fostering a stronger sense of belonging in the new university and country.
初入大学的国际学生面临诸多挑战,包括孤独感和孤立感。研究表明,唱诗班演唱可以增强社会联系和情绪健康。然而,其对国际学生的影响仍未得到充分探索。本研究运用社会认同视角来评估参与大学社区唱诗班对国际学生的大学认同感(即归属感)、孤独感和幸福感的影响。对昆士兰大学的53名国际学生进行了一项非随机对照研究,其中包括31名昆士兰之声唱诗班成员(平均年龄=24.90岁,71.0%为女性)和22名非唱诗班学生(平均年龄=24.18岁,72.7%为女性)。参与者在基线期(前测)和6 - 8周后(后测)完成了大学认同感、孤独感和幸福感的测量,以及基于群体的社会心理资源测量。数据采用2(唱诗班,对照组)×2(前测,后测)方差分析进行分析。在大学认同感(归属感)方面出现了显著的交互作用效应,唱诗班参与者的改善程度超过了对照组。在幸福感方面出现了群体的主效应,唱诗班成员报告的幸福感更高。孤独感方面没有显著影响,基线期孤独感并未升高。唱诗班认同感与社会心理资源(自尊、掌控感、意义和目的以及情绪改善)显著相关。唱诗班演唱可能作为一种预防性干预措施,通过在新的大学和国家培养更强的归属感来支持国际学生的幸福感。