Better together: Group-level social dynamics predict individuals’ psychological adjustment during a major life transition

Establishing new social connections is critical during the transition to university, especially for students who have moved far from home. We examined how students’ one-on-one connections, along with the dynamics of their social groups, related to their adjustment across a school year. Participants were 717 first-year international undergraduates at a Canadian university who participated in a transition program involving assignment to orientation groups of 20-30 students. Cross-sectionally, students’ individual-level social network measures were associated with better adjustment at the start of the year. Longitudinally, being part of a group with better social connections at the start of the year was associated with students’ higher grade point average, lower hostility, and greater institutional attachment at the end of the school year. Findings highlight the importance of group-level social dynamics for emerging adults’ adjustment during a significant life transition.