Investigating Wellness Status & GPA among Two First-Year Cohorts

1. Keene State College – New Hampshire Marj Droppa, PhD Dick Jardine, PhD Investigating Wellness Status & GPA among Two First-Year Cohorts ACHA Annual Conference 2013

2. Session Objectives Objective 1 • Relationship between wellness & academics Objective 2 • Impact of risky health behavior on success of first-year cohorts Objective 3 • Using research to keep our first-years in school

3. Objective 1 • Relationship between Wellness and Academic Performance

4. The Cost of Dropout

5. Cost to the student Dropout

6. Health-related Academic Impediments • Stress – 29% • Sleep – 20% • Anxiety – 19% • Cold/flu – 14% 7. Depression – 11.3%

7. 4-year study • 2 first-year cohorts • Entry – Graduation • Race/ethnicity

8. College Population is Unique • By 2017: 20 million college students • First generation • Female • Black, Hispanic, Asian • Veterans • Disabilities

9. COLLEGE WELLNESS SURVEY Sexual Wellness Emotional Wellness Physical Wellness Drug/Alcohol Wellness

10. Student Scores • Overall Wellness Score • Score in each Wellness Dimension • Drugs/Alcohol • Sexual Wellness • Emotional Wellness • Physical Wellness

11. Health-Academic Relationship

12. Break time!

13. Objective 2 • Impact of risky health behavior on first-year academic performance

14. Institution comparison – Respondent racial composition

16. Difference in GPA from first-second year was not significant

17. MEAN WELLNESS SCORE Sophomores at KSC were less well than in their 1st year

18. Significance testing of difference in mean wellness scores Hypothesis test results:μ1k : mean of KSC 1st μ2k : mean of KSC 2nd μ1k - μ2k : mean difference H0 : μ1k - μ2k = 0 HA : μ1k - μ2k ≠ 0 Hypothesis test results:μ1T : mean of TAMU 1st μ2T : mean of TAMU 2nd μ1T - μ2T : mean difference H0 : μ1T - μ2T = 0 HA : μ1T - μ2T ≠ 0 CONCLUSION: KSC students’ wellness score worsened from first to the second year, and the difference is statistically significant. CAVEAT: Data distribution skewed, not a probability sample, groups not independent

19. Numerical summary of Wellness Survey scores • KSC students’ wellness scores dropped across all dimensions • Which wellness dimension had significant effect on GPA?

20. Logistic Regression Analysis • Logistic regression analyzes relationships between dichotomous response variable (e.g., higher and lower GPA) and categorical or quantitative explanatory variables (e.g., Wellness Score) • Combines the explanatory variables to determine the probability that the response variable would occur • Logistic regression requires no assumptions of normality or of similar variability in the explanatory variables • Applied Logistic Analysis Hosmer, Lemeshow and Sturdivant

21. Logistic Regression Analysis Logistic regression resultsDependent Variable: High GPA Independent Variable(s): Weighted Wellness Score Parameter estimates

22. Logistic Regression Analysis

23. Logistic Regression Analysis • Conclusion: Student GPA performance most significantly influenced by their propensity to smoke cigarettes.

24. TAMU-CC Cohort Demographics, GPA, and Wellness

25. TAMU-CC Demographic Statistics • While women claimed to have higher GPA, their wellness score was lower than their male counterparts

26. TAMU-CC Demographic Statistics • Students who reported as Asian or multiracial had higher Wellness scores and reported higher GPA • If resource constrained, intervention should be targeted on the Hispanic and White student groups

27. Objective 3 • Using research to keep our first-year students in school

28. Poster Activity Questions • Freshmen programming focus? • If use our analysis, what would you have to change on your campus? • Please share SOPHOMORES Drugs & Alcohol Smokers

29. What is Next • 2 more years of First-Year Cohorts study • New Wellness Survey • New Collaborations

30. The Future

33. Would you like to collaborate? Marj Droppa, PhD Keene State College, New Hampshire Email: mdroppa@keene.edu

34. Questions