Research on School Belonging and Adaptation Among Ethnic Minority Students in Mainland Universities: An Empirical Analysis Based on 5 Universities in S Province

When ethnic minority students from border regions to enroll in mainland universities, they inevitably encounter adaptation challenges as they move from familiar living and learning environments to relatively unfamiliar settings. Coupled with objective factors such as weaker academic foundations and language barriers, these students often experience psychological issues including anxiety and depression. A survey of 5 universities in S Province revealed that while students generally demonstrated strong school belongingness (above the scale median), their adaptation to campus life remained average (no statistically significant difference from the scale mean). Gender differences were not statistically significant in either school belongingness or school adaptation; however, there are varying degrees of differences in school belongingness and school adaptation among students of different grades, as well as between onlychild students and non-only-child students. In addition, a significant positive correlation is observed between school belongingness and school adaptation. The study proposes recommendations including: regular mental health screenings, standardized mental health curriculum implementation, personalized counseling services, and integration of campus-based psychological education activities.