Do basic psychological needs know borders? A self-determination theory analysis of Canadian and international students

Self-determination theory posits that there are three basic psychological needs—autonomy, competence, and relatedness—that are essential for optimal psychological functioning across cultures and contexts. While past research has consistently demonstrated that satisfying these needs predicts better mental health in diverse countries, less is known about whether this relationship holds for individuals who have relocated to a foreign country. The present study examined whether the satisfaction of each need predicted lower levels of depressive symptoms in students at a large Canadian university, and whether this association was moderated by students’ sojourner status (international vs. Canadian) and self-reported ethnicity (White vs. Asian). We pooled data from six longitudinal studies conducted between 2014 and 2019 to ensure a large sample size. Results from a hierarchical linear regression demonstrated that the satisfaction of each need significantly and independently predicted against lower levels of depressive symptoms, regardless of ethnicity and sojourner status. A significant interaction emerged between relatedness and sojourner status, indicating that relatedness satisfaction was more strongly associated with reduced depressive symptoms among international students compared to Canadian students. This finding suggests that international students may reap greater mental health benefits from their social networks than local students, potentially due to reduced access to their home support networks during their studies abroad. Overall, the findings support the universality of basic psychological needs and underscore their importance for student well-being, especially among those studying in a foreign country.