Digital Family Bonding and Psychological Well-being among Inter-Island Migrant Students in Indonesia: A Positive Psychology Approach

This phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of inter-island migrant students in Indonesia who maintain psychosocial bonds with their families through digital family bonding-digitally mediated interactions that sustain emotional closeness despite physical separation-and examines its implications for psychological well-being. Twenty students who had relocated to different islands within Indonesia were interviewed over a one-year period, and the data were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Four main themes emerged: (1) emotional reconnection with family members, enhancing the sense of family presence; (2) digitally mediated psychological support, both instrumental and emotional; (3) emotional and technical disruptions in digital communication; and (4) the maintenance of purpose, motivation, and continuity, reflecting academic resilience supported by digital family bonding. The findings indicate that the psychological benefits of digital family interactions depend not only on communication frequency but also on the emotional quality and depth of exchanges, particularly in sustaining positive relations with others, a core dimension of psychological well-being. Digital family bonding functioned as a psychological buffer that supported resilience among students living away from home. The findings also underscore the need for institutional involvement. Higher education institutions should facilitate social connection opportunities, ensure easy access to psychosocial support, and implement regular well-being assessments to strengthen protective relational frameworks for inter-island migrant students.