# “So, we started to say hi to each other on campus.” a qualitative study about well-being among PhD candidates in Norway

## TL;DR

This study explores how social activities on campus improve the well-being of PhD candidates by fostering a sense of community and social belonging.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into how targeted social interventions can enhance PhD candidates' mental health through increased social capital.

## Key findings

- Participation in social activities increased PhD candidates' sense of community and well-being.
- Social activities improved personal and professional networking and collaboration.
- Well-being among PhD candidates is closely linked to social belonging and support.

## Abstract

Loneliness, social isolation, and lack of social belonging are factors that may negatively impact the mental health and well-being of PhD candidates. This study aims to advance understanding of the function of social activities in their role as interventions that foster social belonging and well-being among PhD candidates.

After collecting observational data from the well-being interventions, 10 PhD candidates were interviewed to explore how they perceived their participation in social activities on campus and how it affected their sense of social belonging.

Our results show that participating in social activities was beneficial for PhD candidates on both a personal and professional level, potentially leading to an increased sense of community and well-being, along with increased social interaction, networking, and collaboration. PhD candidates’ well-being was found to be linked to social capital in the forms of social belonging and social support.

Organizing social activities tailored to PhD candidates’ needs may help increase their sense of well-being by generating social capital, which could benefit PhD candida nationally and worldwide.