College Students’ Sense of Belonging: A National Perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 134-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maithreyi Gopalan ◽  
Shannon T. Brady
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Psychological Factors ◽  
Sense Of Belonging ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
First Year ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
National Perspective ◽  
Students Success ◽  
Racial Ethnic

In a nationally representative sample, first-year U.S. college students “somewhat agree,” on average, that they feel like they belong at their school. However, belonging varies by key institutional and student characteristics; of note, racial-ethnic minority and first-generation students report lower belonging than peers at 4-year schools, while the opposite is true at 2-year schools. Further, at 4-year schools, belonging predicts better persistence, engagement, and mental health even after extensive covariate adjustment. Although descriptive, these patterns highlight the need to better measure and understand belonging and related psychological factors that may promote college students’ success and well-being.

scholarly journals The effect of food insecurity during college on graduation and type of degree attained: evidence from a nationally representative longitudinal survey

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Julia A Wolfson ◽  
Noura Insolera ◽  
Alicia J Cohen ◽  
Cindy W Leung
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Degree Attainment ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
First Generation Students ◽  
Effect Of Food ◽  
Nationally Representative

Abstract Objective: To examine the effect of food insecurity during college on graduation and degree attainment. Design: Secondary analysis of longitudinal panel data. We measured food insecurity concurrent with college enrollment using the 18-question USDA Household Food Security Survey Module. Educational attainment was measured in 2015-2017 via two questions about college completion and highest degree attained. Logistic and multinomial-logit models adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics were estimated. Setting: United States (US) Participants: A nationally representative, balanced panel of 1,574 college students in the US in 1999-2003 with follow-up through 2015-2017 from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. Results: In 1999-2003, 14.5% of college students were food insecure and were more likely to be older, non-White, and first-generation students. In adjusted models, food insecurity was associated with lower odds of college graduation (OR 0.57, 95% CI: 0.37, 0.88, p=0.01) and lower likelihood of obtaining a Bachelor’s degree (RRR 0.57 95% CI: 0.35, 0.92, p=0.02) or graduate/professional degree (RRR 0.39, 95% CI: 0.17, 0.86, p=0.022). These associations were more pronounced among first-generation students. 47.2% of first-generation students who experienced food insecurity graduated from college; food insecure first-generation students were less likely to graduate compared to first-generation students who were food secure (47.2% vs. 59.3%, p=0.020) and non-first-generation students who were food insecure (47.2% vs. 65.2%, p=0.037). Conclusions: Food insecurity during college is a barrier to graduation and higher degree attainment, particularly for first-generation students. Existing policies and programs that help mitigate food insecurity should be expanded and more accessible to the college student population.

A Longitudinal Investigation of First-Generation College Students’ Mentoring Relationships During Their Transition to Higher Education

2021 ◽  
pp. 152102512110227
Author(s):  
Matthew A. Hagler ◽  
Kirsten M. Christensen ◽  
Jean E. Rhodes
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
First Generation ◽  
First Generation College Students ◽  
Mentoring Relationships ◽  
First Year ◽  
School Membership ◽  
Longitudinal Investigation ◽  
First Generation College

Non-parent mentoring relationships are important protective factors for first-generation college students. Previous research has focused on singular mentoring relationships measured at one time point, failing to capture the breadth and dynamic nature of social networks. The current study is a longitudinal investigation of first-generation students’ mentoring networks during their transition to college at a four-year, predominantly minority-serving commuter university. At the beginning and end of their first year, students (N = 176) responded to online surveys on their mentoring relationship(s), attitudes toward help-seeking, and college experiences. Cumulative support from pre-college mentoring relationships retained across the first year was positively associated with self-efficacy. Support from newly acquired mentoring relationships was positively associated with psychological sense of school membership. Network orientation was positively associated with self-efficacy and sense of school membership. These findings highlight the importance of diverse mentoring networks and demonstrate the utility of collecting longitudinal data on multiple mentoring relationships.

303 Sleep Midpoint and Efficiency Moderate the Link Between Stress and Academic Cognitions in Latinx College Students

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A121-A121
Author(s):  
Jeri Sasser ◽  
Emma Lecarie ◽  
Michaela Gusman ◽  
HyeJung Park ◽  
Leah Doane
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Academic Motivation ◽  
Minority Group ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Sleep Efficiency ◽  
First Year ◽  
T1 And T2 ◽  
College Stress ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Introduction Latinx students are the largest ethnic/racial minority group in higher education, but are also the group least likely to graduate from a four-year institution. Research suggests that heightened stress perceptions may impede college students’ ability to perform well academically. Poorer sleep may compound the impact of stress on academic functioning. The present study examined the multiplicative effect of college-stress and actigraphy-measured sleep on academic cognitions within-and-across semesters. Methods 209 Latinx college students (Mage=18.95; 64.4% female, 85.1% Mexican descent) were assessed in the spring of the first year of college (T1) and fall of the second year (T2). At T1, participants wore an actigraph watch for 7 nights to measure total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and sleep midpoint. College-stress was assessed at T1 using the College Stress Scale. At T1 and T2, participants completed the Behavioral-Emotional-Cognitive School Engagement Scale, the Academic Self-Efficacy Scale, and a scale assessing academic motivation. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to assess the model fit of a two-factor model representing academic cognitions (engagement, self-efficacy, motivation) at T1 and T2. Latent variable path analysis models testing for moderation were conducted using Mplus. Results The CFA indicated excellent fit (χ2(5)= 2.91, p=.71, RMSEA=.00, CFI=1.00, TLI=1.01, SRMR=.02). College-stress was concurrently (β=-.19, p=.02), but not longitudinally, associated with academic cognitions. Sleep midpoint predicted academic cognitions at T1 (β=-.24, p<.01) and T2 (β=-.18, p=.03). Sleep efficiency (β=.18, p=.01) and sleep midpoint (β=-.17, p=.02) moderated associations between college-stress and T2 academic cognitions. Higher college-stress was longitudinally linked with lower academic cognitions for students with lower sleep efficiency (b=-.12, p=.01) and later sleep midpoints (b=-.14, p=.01). Conclusion Greater college-stress is concurrently linked with lower academic cognitions, whereas later sleep timing has both immediate and enduring consequences on students’ academic mindsets. The impact of college-stress on academic cognitions may depend on the quality and timing of sleep at the time of these stress perceptions. Programs that address stress reduction and sleep health may be promising interventions for improving academic well-being among first-year Latinx college students. Support (if any) This work was supported by a William T. Grant Foundation Scholars Award (184370) to L.D. Doane.

scholarly journals Illuminating Differences in The Psychological Predictors of Academic Performance for First- And Continuing-Generation Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Academic Performance ◽  
Goal Orientation ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Psychological Factors ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Academic Stress ◽  
First Generation Students ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Academic Self Efficacy

First-generation college students experience a disproportionate rate of challenges on college campuses, reflected by lower academic performance. Research has identified academic self-efficacy, optimism, goal orientation, and academic stress all as psychological factors associated with academic performance. However, this research rarely distinguishes between first- and continuing-generation students, and there may be unique effects for each group. We investigated whether the previously identified psychological factors associated with academic performance hold the same relationships for firstand continuing-generation college students. A sample of 143 undergraduate students self-reported levels of academic self-efficacy, optimism, goal orientation, and academic stress. Academic performance was measured using their midterm exam grade. There were differences found in the mean levels of psychological factors and their associations with academic performance for first- and continuing-generation students. Overall, the psychological factors explained a very small portion of the variance in academic performance among first-generation students (13.4%) with none of the psychological factors holding an independent association with academic performance. Conversely, psychological factors explained considerably more of the variance in academic performance for continuing-generation students (60.5%), with domains of goal orientation and academic stress being independently associated with academic performance. Our findings suggest that new pathways to improving first-generation students’ academic performance should be identified, and that

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