Variables affecting first-year student commitment during the transition to college in Ireland

Abstract Third-level student attrition rates internationally are a cause for concern. Thus, student retention and academic success are top priorities for colleges, and students alike. In addition to this, student well-being is a growing public health concern. This study explores the need to incorporate well-being as a predictor in traditionally academically focused models of student persistence during the transition to college. A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted with 574 first-year students aged 17–22 years attending a university in Ireland to examine the effect of student persistence and well-being variables on student commitment during the transition to college. This study highlights the connection between student academic, social and well-being variables during the transition to college within the fitted models that emerged from the data. Student well-being plays a key role ensuring student persistence during the transition to college. The results support our hypothesis that many student variables have the potential to substantially impact student commitment during the first-year transition to college. These variables include student depression, self-rated health, academic environment, peer connections and perceiving the academic programme to be an appropriate personal choice. It is therefore important for education institutions to acknowledge and address student persistence and student well-being in an integrative way and for traditionally academically focused student retention models to orientate to incorporate student well-being.

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U-Flourish university students well-being and academic success longitudinal study: a study protocol

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2019-029854 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. e029854 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Sarah Margaret Goodday ◽

Daniel Rivera ◽

Hannah Foran ◽

Nathan King ◽

Melissa Milanovic ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Academic Success ◽

Longitudinal Study ◽

Emotional Health ◽

Well Being ◽

First Year ◽

First Year Students ◽

Oxford University ◽

Queen's University

IntroductionOver 30% of Canadians between the ages of 16 and 24 years attend university. This period of life coincides with the onset of common mental illnesses. Yet, data to inform university-based mental health prevention and early intervention initiatives are limited. The U-Flourish longitudinal study based out of Queen’s University, Canada and involving Oxford University in the UK, is a student informed study funded by the Canadian Institute for Health Research Strategy for Patient Oriented Research (CIHR-SPOR). The primary goal of U-Flourish research is to examine the contribution of risk and resiliency factors to outcomes of well-being and academic success in first year students transitioning to university.Methods and analysisThe study is a longitudinal survey of all first-year undergraduate students entering Queen’s University in the fall term of 2018 (and will launch at Oxford University in fall of 2019). In accordance with the CIHR-SPOR definitions, students represent the target population (ie, patient equivalent). Student peer health educators were recruited to inform the design, content and implementation of the study. Baseline surveys of Queen’s first year students were completed in the fall of 2018, and follow-up surveys at the end of first year in the spring of 2019. Extensive student-led engagement campaigns were used to maximise participation rates. The baseline survey included measures of personal factors, family factors, environmental factors, psychological and emotional health, and lifestyle factors. Main outcomes include self-reported indicators of mental health at follow-up and mental health service access, as well as objective measures of academic success through linkage to university administrative and academic databases. A combination of mixed effects regression techniques will be employed to determine associations between baseline predictive factors and mental health and academic outcomes.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval was obtained by the Health Sciences and Affiliated Teaching Hospitals Research Ethics Board (HSREB) (#6023126) at Queen’s University. Findings will be disseminated through international and national peer-reviewed scientific articles and other channels including student-driven support and advocacy groups, newsletters and social media.

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Study and Life: How first year university students use their time

Student Success ◽

10.5204/ssj.v10i1.437 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 17-31 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Amanda Richardson ◽

Sharron King ◽

Tim Olds ◽

Gaynor Parfitt ◽

Belinda Chiera

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Academic Success ◽

Age Groups ◽

Self Care ◽

Well Being ◽

First Year ◽

First Year Students ◽

Physical Activity Guidelines ◽

Gender And Age ◽

First Year University

Starting university changes the way students must structure their day. This study describes the patterns of time use of 444 Australian first year students and explores differences between gender and age groups. Overall, students were studying on average four hours per day (h/day), sleeping eight h/day and meeting Australian physical activity guidelines. A sizable portion of students’ days were spent engaging in ‘non-modifiable’ activities including self-care, chores and travel. Stereotypical gender and age differences were observed, with males accumulating significantly more screen-time (+68 minutes per day [min/d]) and physical activity (+21 min/d), while females did more chores (+18 min/d) and self-care (+26 min/d). Younger students slept more (+42 min/d), and did fewer chores (-43 min/d). Given there are strong associations between how students use their time and health, well-being and academic success, a better understanding of how students allocate their time on a day-to-day basis will enable more effective support for students in making these changes.

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The role of family structure and parenting in first year university adjustment

South African Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1177/0081246318805267 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 49 (3) ◽

pp. 446-459

Author(s):

Verushka Zaskia Daniels ◽

Eugene Lee Davids ◽

Nicolette Vanessa Roman

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Family Structure ◽

South African ◽

Autonomy Support ◽

Well Being ◽

First Year ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

First Year Students ◽

Supportive Parenting ◽

University Adjustment

The first year of university creates new experiences and challenges for first years and lays the foundation for the subsequent years of study. This first year has implications for academic development, mental health, and well-being of students and subsequently student retention. The majority of South African university students stay within their familial home unlike their international counterparts. The family may therefore play a contributory role in adjustment to university but this role is somewhat unclear. The current study therefore aimed to establish the associations between university adjustments of first year students, family structure, and parenting. The study employed a cross-sectional design, with a sample of 556 first year undergraduate students at a South African university. The data were collected using an electronic self-administered questionnaire on a secure online platform using the Perceived Parental Autonomy Support Scale and the College Adaptation Questionnaire. Data analysis included hierarchical regression analyses and one-way analyses of variance to determine and compare the relationships between the variables. The results suggest that students from two-parent families were more adjusted than those from one-parent families. Autonomy-supportive parenting predicted positive university adjustment for the total sample, but only maternal autonomy-supportive parenting predicted good adjustment for students in two-parent families. This study highlights the potential role parents and families may play in the adjustment of first year students to university. This is particularly relevant in South Africa where many students are first-generation students, are challenged in transitioning to university, and this may have subsequent mental health–related challenges.

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Differences in resilience between ‘traditional’ and ‘non-traditional’ university students

Active Learning in Higher Education ◽

10.1177/1469787417693493 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 77-87 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Ethel Chung ◽

Deborah Turnbull ◽

Anna Chur-Hansen

Keyword(s):

Academic Success ◽

Household Income ◽

Life Experiences ◽

Well Being ◽

Traditional Students ◽

Future Research ◽

First Year ◽

First Year Students ◽

Students First ◽

Non Traditional Students

Resilience is related to students’ well-being and academic success. While challenges associated with students who are from historically underrepresented backgrounds (i.e. ‘non-traditional students’) have been frequently reported, their resilience has received lesser attention. The primary purpose of this study was to compare levels of resilience between ‘traditional’ and ‘non-traditional’ students. First year students participated in an online mental health survey which included a standardised measure of resilience, demographic questions and an item exploring students’ own perception of being ‘non-traditional’. The results showed that students who considered themselves to be ‘non-traditional’ in life aspects, including age, employment and parenting responsibility, had significantly higher resilience compared to self-identified ‘traditional students’. However, resilience levels of students who deemed themselves to be ‘non-traditional’ in other domains (e.g. household income, cultural background) did not differ significantly from ‘traditional’ students. The findings show that life experiences commonly affiliated with being a mature-aged student, including work and being a carer, may contribute to higher resilience. Implications in relation to practice and future research were discussed.

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Assement of Anxiety and Factor Related Among Mizan Tepi University Freshman Students, South, Ethiopia 2021

10.21203/rs.3.rs-1111934/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

yetayale berhanu wolde ◽

Alem Eskeziya Ayenalem

Keyword(s):

Academic Success ◽

Dropout Rate ◽

First Year ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Public Intervention ◽

First Year Students ◽

Self Confidence ◽

Freshmen Students ◽

Collection Data

Abstract Background Anxiety can disturb a student's academic success and his future, including withdrawal from classes. The dropout rate was found to be twice as high as in the 1st grade compared to the 2nd or 3rd grade. It also causes people around the world to feel excessive anxiety, fear, lack of self-confidence, and embarrassment. One of the key reasons in the current study is the lack of data on the degree of mental illness, especially in higher education institutions. Objective: To assess the anxiety and factors of Mizan Tepi University students. METHODS From April 21th to May 21, 2020, an organization-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in the city of Mizan Tepi. The survey used a structured questionnaire and a self-administered questionnaire-ASQ tool. The stratified sampling method included 301 individuals in the study.Pre-test questionnaires that are also used for data collection. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 20. Result There are 320 freshmen students of these, 301 attended during the investigation. There are 162 (54%) male respondents and 138 (46%) female respondents in the study. The average student age and (SE) age are 21.6, (± 0.13) years old. The prevalence of anxiety was found to be 26.7% among first-year students. Compared with males (16.7%), female freshmen (40.6%) have a statistically higher incidence of anxiety. [AOR 95%CI=3.36 (1.88, 6.01) Conclusion his study shows that anxiety is a common mental problem among college students calling for public intervention to prevent more serious forms of anxiety. This finding indicates that women and older students have a high chance of suffering from anxiety.

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Helping First-Year Students Make the Transition to College through Advisor-Researcher Collaboration

NACADA Journal ◽

10.12930/0271-9517-26.1.67 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 26 (1) ◽

pp. 67-76 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Joshua S. Smith ◽

David Yun Dai ◽

Bruce P. Szelest

Keyword(s):

Academic Success ◽

Academic Motivation ◽

Transition To College ◽

First Year ◽

Academic Advisors ◽

Institutional Research ◽

First Year Students ◽

Academic Difficulties ◽

Additional Information ◽

Working Together

Most information advisors receive about first-year advisees pertains to students' academic achievement and high school courses. To assist students effectively with the transition to college, advisors need additional information. We describe a collaborative process used to develop a prematriculation, academic motivation instrument that provides important information for academic advisors and the whole institution. The collaborators included academic advisors, institutional research personnel, and a faculty member from the School of Education, all working together to create the instrument, examine its psychometric properties, and make decisions about how to use the data. The instrument shows promise as predictor of academic success in the early college years and could potentially assist advisors in identifying first-year students at risk for academic difficulties. Relative emphasis: * research, theory, practice

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Thriving Through Relationship Building

Strategies for Student Support During a Global Crisis - Advances in Educational Technologies and Instructional Design ◽

10.4018/978-1-7998-7000-5.ch006 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 89-98

Author(s):

Tréon D. McClendon ◽

Taurean M. Douglas

Keyword(s):

Academic Success ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Relationship Building ◽

First Year ◽

Learning Centers ◽

Institutional Perspective ◽

First Year Students ◽

Global Pandemic ◽

College Setting

The United States of America is facing a global crisis (COVID-19) that has forced a significant strain on the academic structure and learning environments. From an institutional perspective, this requires more innovation in the approach and well-being of students, especially first-year students. This chapter addresses how living learning centers aided in the support and academic success of students during a global pandemic. The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of how LLCs can impact the success of students as they transition and acclimate to the college setting as first year students. This chapter will also discuss how LLCs can enhance student success efforts in all capacities at institutions across the country.

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Application of Cannabis Use Intention Questionnaire (CUIQ) to First Year University Students

Medical Sciences Forum ◽

10.3390/msf2021005011 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 11

Author(s):

Inês Teodoro ◽

Hugo Torres ◽

Nuno Venâncio ◽

Guilhermina Moutinho ◽

Maria Deolinda Auxtero

Keyword(s):

Public Health Problem ◽

Well Being ◽

Cannabis Use ◽

Self Control ◽

First Year ◽

Major Public Health Problem ◽

First Year Students ◽

Validated Questionnaire ◽

Intent To Use ◽

First Year University

Cannabis is the illegal drug most used worldwide. Its long-term use increases the risk of depression and schizophrenia, causing a major public health problem. A validated questionnaire was applied to first year students of Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz to assess their intention regarding cannabis use. They do not consider cannabis to be much associated with well-being, they slightly consider the opinion of relatives, and they show a low intent to use the drug, believing themselves to have strong self-control. Scores are above average for 18-y.o. Portuguese students, except for belief in self-control.

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Violence against Women: A Study of Underlying Factors in Tehran Forensic Center 2001

Global Journal of Health Science ◽

10.5539/gjhs.v8n12p68 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 8 (12) ◽

pp. 68 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Roya Azizian ◽

Bagher Saroukhani ◽

Mahmod Mahmodi ◽

Fereshteh Farzianpour

Keyword(s):

Domestic Violence ◽

Human Rights ◽

Violence Against Women ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Well Being ◽

Financial Strain ◽

Health Concern ◽

Duration Of Treatment ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Forensic Center

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a global human rights and public health concern. The WHO Multi-Country Study on Women’s Health and Domestic Violence documented the widespread nature of IPV with lifetime prevalence of physical and/or sexual parter violence among ever-partnered women in the fifteen sites surveyed ranging from 15% in Ethiopia province to 71% in Japan.Across the world, violence against women is a major threat to their physical and mental well-being. This violation of the most fundamental human rights usually takes the form of family or domestic violence.This study was conducted to determine the violence against women in Tehran in forensic center in 2001.METHODS: Data for this cross-sectional study were collected from women referring to Tehran Forensic Center, with a view to obtaining a realistic picture of violence to women.Data were gathered on 120 subjects randomly selected women who completed questionnaires and interview.RESULTS: The women in this study had presented with wounds and injuries inflicted by their husbands. These women had been referred to the Center by family courts to complete legal formalities concerning injury diagnosis and duration of treatment.The main factors underlying family violence were examined from five different aspects: behavioral and educational problems (79.2%), financial strain (54.2%), and interference by the husband’s family (39.2%), sexual problems (13.3%), and differences in culture and social class (10%).CONCLUSION: Factors found to have an accelerating or interfering role included the woman’s age and the couple’s education level. However, many women declared that several factors were contributing simultaneously to the problem of violence.

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Behavioral Health Risk and Resilience among International Students in the United States: A Study of Socio-demographic Differences

Journal of International Students ◽

10.32674/jis.v9i1.264 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 282-305

Author(s):

Youn Kyoung Kim ◽

Arati Maleku ◽

Catherine M Lemieux ◽

Xi Du ◽

Zibei Chen

Keyword(s):

Academic Success ◽

International Students ◽

Health Risk ◽

Behavioral Health ◽

Acculturative Stress ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Risk And Resilience ◽

Cross Sectional

Using a resilience framework, the current cross-sectional study examined indicators of behavioral health risk and resilience among U.S. international students (N=322) across key socio-demographic characteristics. A multimethod approach was used to collect data with both an online platform and paper-based survey instrument. Results showed that higher levels of acculturative stress were reported by older students, females, undergraduates, students who lived with their families, and those who had resided in the US longer than 2 years. Findings underscore the importance of culturally-relevant screening and prevention strategies that target resilience and other protective factors to reduce health risk and encourage well-being and academic success among international students.

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