Exploring the Link between Social Exclusion, Spirituality and Well-being of Undergraduate University Students

Abstract

Some students may become withdrawn or experience psychological difficulties that influence their spiritual well-being and other dimensions of their lives. This study investigates the impact of social exclusion and spirituality on the well-being of tertiary students, with a focus on students at the University of Cape Coast. Using a cross-sectional descriptive survey design, 200 undergraduate students from diverse religious backgrounds were surveyed. Two distinct questionnaires were employed as data collection instruments. The data was analysed using the Haye’s Mediation Analysis. The findings revealed high levels of spirituality among the participants. There was no statistically significant relationship found between social exclusion and well-being (r = -0.055, p = 0.437), However, a strong positive relationship was found between spirituality and well-being (r = 0.641, p < 0.001). A weak but statistically significant positive correlation was found between social exclusion and spirituality (r = 0.168, p = 0.017). Mediation analysis showed that spirituality significantly mediates the relationship between social exclusion and well-being. The findings highlight the importance of fostering spiritual practices and addressing social exclusion to improve student well-being. Among other recommendations, it was suggested that universities incorporate spiritual development initiatives into their curricula and that counsellors organise programmes to address students’ emotional needs. It is therefore concluded that the discovery that spirituality mediates the association between well-being and social exclusion contributes to research indicating that spirituality serves as a buffer for students who are subjected to social exclusion.