Social Connections Curriculum
This content collection introduces the Social Connection Curriculum deployed in first-year seminar classes at Florida State University. The development of the curriculum, and related intervention research, are a collaboration between faculty and graduate students in the Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy, and the Division of Undergraduate Studies. The collection includes two lesson plans and a social connection project designed for a first-year seminar course, hosted through FSU's Engage 100 Program.
Available through OER Commons: https://oercommons.org/courseware/lesson/148951
Research Publications
College student polarization, social connections, and mental health
Reynolds, J. R., O’Shea, J., & Swanbrow Becker, M. (2026). College student polarization, social connections, and mental health. Journal of American College Health, 74(1), 89–98. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2025.2496755
Objective: To examine the association between subjective polarization and mental health among college students, and to investigate if the association is due to impacts on social relationships and school belonging. Participants: The current study used online survey data for 311 college students collected in May 2023. Methods: OLS regression analyses assess associations among polarization, psychological distress, social connectedness, sense of belonging, and feelings of social ease on campus. KHB mediation models test for significant mediation. Results: The findings confirm that subjective polarization is negatively associated with student mental health, with an estimated effect size comparable to socioeconomic status. Social connectedness and belonging are significant mediators of the association; social ease is not. Conclusions: The results highlight the need for interventions that foster transpartisan and inclusive campus environments.