A Phenomenological Study on the Caring for Companion Stones among University Student Living Alone

Key Points

• Caring for companion stones fosters emotional relationships and self-understanding among university students living alone, enhancing their caregiving capacity.
• A total of 135 meaningful statements led to the identification of 16 meanings and 4 categories structured through a phenomenological approach.
• The study involved 8 university students living alone, using thematic analysis to explore their experiences with non-living companion stones.
• Educational support and policy implications were discussed to enhance students' socio-emotional development and caring abilities.

Abstract