When Opportunities Are Turned into Threats

Abstract

The present paper tests a long-overlooked aspect of the association between school management and student mental health. Specifically, the question asked is whether and to what extent quality of information services is associated with students’ feelings of loneliness. Research on this relationship is almost inexistent—most probably because of the rather narrow conceptual framework within which loneliness research has been carried out. The present study attempts to fill this gap by looking at loneliness from a different conceptual angle, that of alienation, and from there to test a couple of hypotheses: (i) the significance of the relationship between quality of information services and student loneliness and (ii) the protective role of quality of informal student networks. Data from 439 undergraduate students from a Moroccan institution of higher education were used for the purpose. Both hypotheses were confirmed. Quality of information services, which a sweeping majority of students (64.2%) rated as unsatisfactory, was negatively associated with feelings of loneliness (β = -.17**, p < .01). To test the protective role of quality of student networks, a moderation analysis was conducted. Quality of student networks proved a significant moderator. Results and implication for educational management and future research directions are discussed.