Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Students’ Well-being: The Mediating Role of Subjective Vitality

The self-determination theory (SDT) posits that basic psychological needs (BPNs) are indispensable and vital nutrients for well-being. The present research was done to apply SDT to understand students’ well-being, which proposes that the realization and fulfillment of BPNs and subjective vitality significantly influence the overall well-being of an individual. Therefore, the current study analyzed the mediational effect of subjective vitality in the BPN satisfaction and well-being relationship.

This study included a sample of 219 (165 females and 54 males) university students with a mean age of 25 years. The basic psychological needs satisfaction and frustration scale (BPNSFS) was used to assess BPNs. Subjective vitality was assessed using a 6-item individual difference version subjective vitality scale by Ryan and Frederick, and well-being was evaluated by the WHO well-being index. Correlational and multiple regression analysis was done and mediational analysis was done using Hayes PROCESS macro.

The results indicated that fulfillment of BPNs (β=0.413, P<0.01) and subjective vitality (β=0.208, P<0.01) are significant predictors of students› well-being. Mediation analysis showed that subjective vitality completely mediated the relationship between BPN satisfaction and well-being. Furthermore, the measures of BPNS (t=2.242) and well-being (t=2.154) differed significantly, while no significant differences were found in subjective vitality (t=0.108) with respect to gender.

The findings of this study highlighted the role of BPN satisfaction and subjective vitality in the promotion of students’ well-being. Moreover, the present study highlighted the underlying mechanism, through which BPNs influences students’ well-being. This study contributes to the theoretical literature by emphasizing the vital role played by BPNs and subjective vitality in students’ well-being.