Effects of the Balanced Satisfaction of the Need for Autonomy, Relatedness, and Competence Across Education and Family on Well-Being in Students

The study is based on the Self-Determination Theory and the balance hypothesis and investigates whether a balanced need satisfaction of autonomy, relatedness, and competence positively relates to student´s well-being. This idea is taken further by deliberating whether a balance between contexts, in this case family and education, may also positively relate to student´s well-being. In this cross-sectional study, 76 students took part. Relationships of the balance between autonomy, relatedness, and competence in both family and education on well-being were tested, and the relationship between these psychological needs across the contexts family and education on well-being. Balance scores of need satisfaction for both between the three needs and between the two contexts were created. The three needs in both contexts were positively related to well-being. None of the balance scores showed significant positive correlations to well-being, as tested by three hierarchical multiple regressions. All regression analysis showed non-significant effects. Thus, both hypotheses were not supported. Some correlations were found. Results did not show a relationship of the balance between the basic needs in education and family separately to well-being and no relationship of the balance between the needs across the two contexts to well-being. Possible explanations, limitations, and implications are discussed.