Career preferences,self-concept,and vocational maturity

This study explored the differences in self-concept and vocational maturity variables between freshmen students who made congruent, incongruent, and undecided college major choices. The self-concept variables were operationally defined by the Tennessee Self Concept Scale. The vocational maturity variables were defined by the Career Questionnaire, Form IV, and the Vocational Development Inventory. Congruent, incongruent, and undecided college major choice groups were defined operationally using the Vocational Preference Inventory. The analysis of variance revealed the main effect of groups (congruent, incongruent, and undecided) to be significant for four vocational maturity variables. The test for the main effect of sex was found to be significant for one vocational maturity variable. The test for interaction was found to be significant for one self-concept variable. The findings tentatively suggest that subjects in the congruent male and female groups tend to be more vocationally stable and mature than subjects in the undecided male and female groups. Limitations in the reults of the present study were pointed out.     

Intuitive Interference in Geometry: An Eye‐Tracking Study

Interference of irrelevant salient variables may cause difficulties for students. This study focused on eye tracking during the comparison of perimeters task, in which area is the interfering irrelevant salient variable. There were three trial types: congruent (larger area—larger perimeter), incongruent inverse (larger area—smaller perimeter), and incongruent equal (larger area—equal perimeter). Behavioral findings corroborated previous studies: congruent trials yielded higher accuracy and a shorter reaction time than did incongruent trials. Surprisingly, the area saliency could not be revealed in fixation location and duration measurements in incongruent inverse trials nor in the heat maps for incongruent inverse or incongruent equal trials, suggesting that such processing does not require overt attention; measures of attention shift from one geometrical shape to another were higher for incongruent equal trials, as was pupil dilation, suggesting that greater effort is associated with solving incongruent equal trials.     

Gender, Psychosocial Dispositions, and the Academic Achievement of College Students

Researchers have recently claimed that there are substantial differences in the psychosocial dispositions and academic achievement of male and female college students. To test this proposition, a sample of 854 undergraduate students were selected from a major Canadian Research-1 university. Multiple regression analyses assessed the effects of gender and several other independent variables on coping strategies, academic control, self-esteem, and grade point averages. Few differences emerged between the genders on the psychosocial dispositions or on academic achievement. The results suggest that both male and female students can improve their coping strategies and academic control, which together directly affect their academic achievement.     

Turkish College Students’ Subjective Wellbeing in Regard to Psychological Strengths and Demographic Variables: Implications for College Counseling

This study investigated Turkish college students’ subjective wellbeing in regard to psychological strength and demographic variables. A sample of Turkish college students (N?=?1,052) aged 17–32 (mean age = 21, SD = 1.79) was administered various psychological strength instruments—the Gratitude Scale, the Rosenberg Self Esteem Inventory, the Generalized Self Efficacy Scale, the Life Orientation Test, the Positive/Negative Affect Scale and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Participants also responded to a demographic data sheet. Non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis and Mann–Whitney U tests, Pearson correlation coefficients and Spearman row coefficients were used in data analysis. Results revealed that there was a strong association between psychological strengths and subjective wellbeing, with gratitude, satisfaction with life, self-esteem and positive affectivity having the most significant correlations, respectively. Demographic variables of gender, academic achievement, social involvement, type of residence, academic major, and financial and health status were also found to be associated with college students’ subjective wellbeing. Implications for college counseling are discussed.     

A Study of College Dropouts with Respect to Academic and Personality Variables

Abstract

This Is a study of dropouts with respect to verbal scores of School and College Ability Tests and personality scores of the Gordon Personal Profile and the Gordon Personal Inventory.

The sample consisted of 1,263 college freshmen. The statistical procedure used was the t-test.

High academic aptitude students differed from low academic aptitude students beyond .001 level of confidence on verbal scores of the SCAT. Statistically significant evidence was found between dropouts and students who remained in college on several personality variables-trustful and tolerant, perseverant, inquiring, energetic, vigorous, calm and collected, and cautious.

High academic aptitude students are more likely to remain in college than low academic aptitude students. Low academic aptitude students are more homogeneous with respect to personality variables than high academic aptitude students.     

Experiment in Cluster Registration of College Freshmen: Effects upon Achievement,Anxiety and Perception of the College Environment

Abstract

The effects of cluster registration upon various aspects of student experience at the University of Utah were studied. From among first quarter freshmen, undecided as to academic major, seven groups of students were identified who had registered for the same general education courses and who could be kept together for the duration of the quarter in their respective groups (clusters) by assigning them to appropriate course sections. A control group was used. Findings led to the conclusion that cluster registration (used in this investigation) did not improve the quality of the university experience of these entering college freshmen.     

Negative Thought Patterns of Undecided Community College Students: Implications for Counselors and Advisors

The purpose of this study was to explore the negative thinking patterns of incoming community college freshmen who were undecided about choosing a major and to suggest an approach for addressing these issues on a community college campus. Sixty community college freshmen attending their freshman orientation (FO) were surveyed using the Career Thoughts Inventory (CTI). Results indicated that the students who participated in the study scored higher on all CTI scales than high school or college students in the normative sample. There were no differences in scores in terms of ages, gender, or ethnicity. These results suggest that community colleges should design programming that can help new students, particularly freshmen; to identify and to address their unconstructive thoughts with the aim of helping these students learn how to manage their anxiety upon entering college. Counselors and advisors should work more collaboratively by shifting from an individual model of delivering services to a more holistic learning approach in order to help students to become more decisive about an educational career path.     

Expectancy violation and student rating of instruction

This study examined whether violations that are incongruent with student expectations are significantly different than congruent violations of expectancy in relation to student ratings of instruction. Analysis using the Scheffe' post ANOVA test revealed that college students having high expectations/high experiences evaluated teachers more favorably than students with low expectations/high experiences, low expectations/low experiences and high expectations/low experiences. Reasons why these findings did not coincide with the expectancy violation model are offered.     

Congruence,locus of control,and readings of English college students — An application of John Holland's theory of vocational choice

One hundred and five English undergraduate college students at two colleges in the United Kingdom completed the Holland VPI, the Barron Ego Strength Scale, the Adult Nowicki-Strickland Internal Control Scale, and the Occupational Values Q Sort. Congruent students were identified by matching their reading (major) with their scores on the six Holland type indicators. A Multi-variate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) revealed that congruent subjects exhibited a higher level of internality, greater ego strength, and less affiliation than incongruent subjects. Results are discussed with respect to Holland's theory. The practicability of applying American measurement techniques to an undergraduate English college population is also explored.     

The Mediating Effects of Approaches to Learning on the Academic Success of First-Year College Students

Students’ personal predictors of academic success are particularly relevant for first-year college students, given the specific challenges that these students face when entering higher education (HE). Academic success in HE has been related to multiple factors, including the students’ approaches to learning (SAL), satisfaction (linked to commitment and persistence), study time (effort), and prior academic achievement. This study analyzes the combined effect of these predictors on perceived academic success. Data from 247 students was collected using the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students and other specific measures to assess presage and process variables of academic success. Although academic success is multidimensional and difficult to explain, factors such as prior academic achievement, satisfaction with the course, SAL, and study time contribute to explain perceived academic success in first-year college students.     

Personal factors that influence deaf college students' academic success

Research tells us that academic preparation is key to deaf students' success at college. Yet, that is not the whole story. Many academically prepared students drop out during their first year. This study identified entering deaf college students' personal factors as assessed by their individual responses to both the Noel-Levitz College Student Inventory Form B and the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory, second edition (LASSI). Entering students in 3 successive cohorts (total n =437) participated in this study. Results show that in addition to entry measurements of reading and mathematic skills, personal factors contributed to the academic performance of students in their first quarter in college. The Noel-Levitz provided the comparatively better predictive value of academic performance: Motivation for Academic Study Scale (e.g., desire to finish college). The LASSI also showed statistically significant predictors, the Self-Regulation Component (e.g., time management) and Will Component (e.g., self-discipline), but accounted for relatively less variability in the students' initial grade point averages. For this group of underprepared students, results show that personal factors can play a significant role in academic success. Deaf students' personal factors are discussed as they relate to other first-year college students and to their subsequent academic performance and persistence.     

The learning and study strategies of college students with ADHD

This study compared learning and study strategies of students with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to two groups: college students with learning disabilities (LD) and college students without disabilities. In addition, strengths and weaknesses within the ADHD group were examined on the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory, 2nd edition (LASSI; C.E. Weinstein & D.R. Palmer, 2002). The LASSI was also evaluated as a predictive measure for academic achievement for college students with ADHD compared to other students. Results indicate that several important differences may exist in the learning and study strategies of students with ADHD versus students with LD and students without disabilities. However, the LASSI may not be a useful tool for predicting academic achievement for college students with ADHD. Interventions for working with students with ADHD are given. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

我国大学生学校适应特征的实证分析

大学阶段是学生成长的关键时期,实现学校适应是大学生健康成长的重要保证。采用自编量表对74602名大学生进行学校适应的调查发现,学习适应和就业自信是大学生学校适应最为困难的两个维度,不同类别的大学生其学校适应水平呈现出显著不同,其中大二学生、理学类学生的学校适应需要得到进一步关注。     

An empirical study into gender differences in the relationships among academic,social and psychological adjustments of university support

There are three dimensions through which to measure university support for students’ transition to university life: academic adjustment, social adjustment and psychological adjustment. Previous research studies show that there are relationships among those adjustments. However, less is known about gender differences in these relationships. The purpose of this study is to examine the perceived gender differences in perception of the relationships among these adjustments during the first year undergraduate transition period. The study is based on a survey of 114 first year undergraduate students from a Hong Kong local university. The findings show that (1) female students perceive social adjustment to have more influence on academic adjustment than male students, (2) female students perceive psychological adjustment to have more influence on academic adjustment than male students, and (3) there is no significant difference in the relationship between social and academic adjustments for female and male students.     

Self-Concealment and Correlates of Adjustment in College Students

This article examines the role of self-referent inhibition on the psychosocial adjustment of college students. Relationships between self-concealment (the tendency to actively conceal from others personal information that one perceives as negative or distressing) and measures of psychosocial adjustment were examined in a sample of 344 college undergraduates. Self-concealment was significantly correlated with self-reported anxiety, depression, shyness, and negative self-esteem. The tendency to self-conceal was also found to be differentially related to the adjustment variables as a function of sex. Attributional processes and the effects of sex-role socialization on inhibition are described, and implications of the study for therapists who work with college students are discussed. The construct of self-concealment represents a potentially important variable in the study of college student adjustment.     

Adjustment to university and academic performance among disadvantaged students in South Africa

Adjustment to the university environment is regarded as an important factor in predicting university outcomes. This study explores the pathways taken by adjustment and other psychosocial variables (help‐seeking, academic motivation, self‐esteem, perceived stress, and perceived academic overload), in relation to the success of economically and educationally disadvantaged students at university. Participants were 194 first‐year students on need‐based financial aid at a South African university; they completed questionnaires that measured these psychosocial variables, and their final first‐year academic results were obtained via the university’s records office. Path analyses showed that adjustment did not function as a pure mediator on academic performance as the dependent variable. Furthermore, the psychosocial factors explained much (59%) of the variance in the students’ adjustment and 20% of the variance in their academic performance. Hence, the psychosocial variables better explained the students’ adjustment to university than academic performance.     

A Comparative Investigation on the Learning Efficacy of Mechatronic Technology Between Academic and Vocational High School Students

Universities in Taiwan can be divided into two major categories of comprehensive universities and technological universities. Students studying engineering majors in comprehensive universities are often recruited from academic high schools while those in technological universities tend to be recruited from vocational high schools. The purpose of this research was to investigate differences in learning efficacy between college students with academic backgrounds and those with vocational backgrounds. Results indicated no significant differences in cognition between the two groups of students. Additionally, students with vocational school backgrounds performed better in comprehension skills compared with those with academic backgrounds and were more able to apply acquired knowledge to practical tasks according to path analysis studies and the Mann–Whitney U test.     

Examining the Effects of Residence and Gender on College Student Adjustment in Iran: Implications for Psychotherapists

This study examined the effects of on-campus residence, in comparison with commuter status, on academic performance, vocational commitment, self-efficacy, and perceptions of the college environment among female and male Iranian students at Shiraz University, Iran. The study sought to extend previous work investigating the effects of college residence on adjustment by testing these effects with a national population that has received relatively little attention in the extant counseling literature. Nearly all previously published studies exploring these phenomena have focused exclusively on college students in the United States. We found that residential living had positive effects on student adjustment and academic performance and that these effects were mediated by gender. Implications of these findings for the college psychotherapy and student development knowledge base, college and university psychotherapists working with international students and American students of Middle Eastern and Northern African descent in the United States, and college counseling professionals working in Middle Eastern and North African nations, as well as critical limitations of the study, are discussed.     

Effects of Academic Motivation on School Burnout in Turkish College Students

School burnout refers to psychological reactions to academic stress and loads and has been identified as a risk factor contributing to academic failure and subsequent mental health challenges. However, academic motivation, hope, and meaning in life can be potential combating factors against school burnout. This study aimed to examine the effects of academic motivation on school burnout in college students and explore mediator roles of hope and meaning in life. A path analysis was performed with the data collected from 544 Turkish college students to test the direct and indirect effects. The results showed that the direct effects from the three academic motivation variables to school burnout variables were larger than the indirect effects. Both mediators played roles in the relations between amotivation and efficacy and intrinsic motivation and efficacy. The last finding was that hope played more significant mediator roles than meaning in life. The results were discussed, along with implications for faculty, college counselors, and future studies.

     

The role of perceived parental over-involvement in student test anxiety

The effects of perceived parental over-involvement on students’ level of test anxiety were examined in two studies. In study 1, parental over-involvement scale was developed. The sample comprised 105 male and female undergraduate college students between the ages of 21 and 26. The scale contained two aspects of parental over-involvement: parental attitudes toward academic studies and parental involvement in academic studies. Students’ self-reported attitudes toward academic studies were also included. In study 2, the effects of the three aspects on students’ level of test anxiety were examined. The sample comprised 90 male and female undergraduate college students, between the ages of 21 and 26. Research hypotheses were that the two aspects of parental over-involvement and students’ attitudes will positively correlate with students' test anxiety and that results will persist with high anxious students. Finally, an exploratory question was examined as to whether the two aspects of parental over-involvement will differ in their impact on test anxiety. As expected all three factors positively correlated with test anxiety; however, regression analysis indicated that only parental involvement was predicting text anxiety. Results for participants with high test anxiety partially supported research hypothesis as parental involvement correlated with test anxiety (TA) total score and with worry but not with emotionality. Findings are discussed as response to the exploratory question. Finally, although not hypothesized, academic education of parents was positively related to students' test anxiety. Results suggest that parental attitudes and behaviors are significant factors in college students’ TA.