First Year Students’ Views of Support from Parents, Friends, and Campus Personnel

1. First Year Students’ Views of Support from Parents, Friends, and Campus Personnel Dr. Sandy Bell, Dr. Jennifer Lease Butts, and Dr. Sue A. Saunders First-Year Students Research Symposium University of Connecticut September 26, 2008

2. Purpose of the Study • To understand whom first-year students turn to for advice and support as they make the transition to college • Whom do students identify as supportive assets in their transition? • To what degree are these people seen as supportive? • To clarify the roles that parents and friends play in the transition of today’s college students

3. Review of the Literature • Schlossberg’s transition theory (1995) – situation, self, support and strategies • Supportive campus environment as a predictor of retention and success (Kuh & Hu, 2001; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005) • Peer leaders can enhance the transition for first-year students (Carns, Carns, & Wright, 1993; Kuh, Kinzie, Schuh, & Whitt, 2005) • HERI report on connection between college students and parents (Pryor, Hurtado, Sharkness, & Korn, 2007)

4. Methods • Sample • Approximately 2700 students enrolled in FYE courses during the fall of 2006 • 607 responded to the on-line survey, representing 22.5% of the target population • 61% female • 89% lived on campus • 21% were members of the Honors Program • 18% lived in a First-Year Learning Community • 33% had not declared a major

5. Methods • On-line Survey • Students identified whom they regarded as the first, second, and third most supportive individuals in their transition • Students rated the degree of support they received from six different types of individuals on an 11-point scale(0 = not at all supporting, 5 = somewhat supportive, 10 = extremely supportive) • Data analyses included descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests, correlations, and effect size calculations to identify group differences and relationships between demographic variables and perceptions of support

6. Parents or Guardians • Brothers or Sisters • Friend from home • Mentor from home (such as teacher, coach, community leader) • Friend from the University • FYE course Faculty or Staff • FYE course Peer Mentor or Facilitator • Faculty in course other than FYE course • Staff member (such as Hall Director) • Academic Advisor • Community Assistant • Other peer leader (such as Cultural Center Mentor) • Other (please specify _______________________ Survey options for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd most supportive persons in college transition

7. Results Figure 1 – Most supportive persons

8. Results Perceptions of Home versus Campus Supports Number of times Home supports or Campus supports selected as first, second, or third most supportive (n = 463-476)

9. Results Perceived Level of Support from Six Types of Persons (scale 0-10) (n = 558-601)

10. Results • Group Differences • Overall, homogeneity in student perceptions resulted in few group differences • Compared to males, females rated higher support from home friends • Compared to off-campus students, students living on-campus rated higher support from home friends and campus peer leaders • Compared to non-FYLC students, students living in FYLC’s rated higher support from parents and peer leaders • Effect size for all group differences was medium-small

11. Implications • Parents are a primary source of support for most students • Students develop very quickly support networks with peers on campus • Campus community can help encourage healthy behavior and a supportive environment • Mental models for working with parents may need to change

12. Questions? • Questions about the methodology • Questions about the findings • Discussion forthcoming on implications and recommendations for practice