RESUMEN

The COVID-19 pandemic caused severe disruptions in living and learning to millions of college students. Here we investigated using mediation analysis two dimensions of anxiety that were specific to the pandemic - COVID-19 related anxiety and COVID-19 vaccine anxiety - to evaluate their relationship to college adjustment during the pandemic. Using cross-sectional survey data across three semester waves (Spring 2021, Fall 2021, and Spring 2022) we probed whether anxiety functioned as a challenge or hindrance stressor on adjustment. We found that although anxiety decreased in both COVID-19 dimensions across semesters, student adjustment to college remained consistently low. Our mediation analysis revealed that both COVID-19 related anxiety and COVID-19 vaccine-related anxiety functioned as challenge stressors, elevating academic, social, personal-emotional, and institutional adjustment during the pandemic. We discuss the role of positive COVID impacts on college adjustment, including enhanced social support.

RESUMEN

Objective: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the short version of the Spanish Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ-50, Spanish version). Participants: 1513 students from 14 universities in Peru, mainly females (61.5%), aged between 18 and 30 years. Method: Cross-sectional study with the questionnaire administered in person. Confirmatory factorial analysis was conducted to confirm the scale validity. Results: adequate fits were obtained for the multidimensional structure and for the second order factor of the test. Alpha and omega coefficients indicated adequate test reliability. Conclusions: The Spanish version of the SACQ-50 is a multidimensional scale displaying adequate reliability and validity. The scale may be useful for researchers and other professionals working in the university context.

RESUMEN

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether preservice teachers' nomophobia levels, sense of loneliness and adjustment to university life vary based on their demographic characteristics. Additionally, regression analyses were carried out to determine whether their sense of loneliness, nomophobia levels, and adjustment to university life were predictors of each other. DESIGN AND METHODS: In this quantitative study, the cross-sectional survey research model was used. A total of 234 preservice teachers, 65 of whom were studying at the elementary mathematics department, 81 of whom were studying at the preschool education department, and 88 of whom were studying at the science education department, participated in this study. Independent-samples t test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and simple linear regression analyses were used to analyze the quantitative data. FINDINGS: The main conclusions from this study were that (a) the students with the highest sense of loneliness were the students of the elementary mathematics department, the students with the highest level of nomophobia were the science education students, and the students who adjusted the most to university life were the preschool education students. (b) There were no significant differences between the 1st and 2nd year preservice teachers in terms of their sense of loneliness, nomophobia levels, and adjustment to university life. (c) There were statistically significant differences between the mean total nomophobia scores of the male and female students in favor of the females especially in the "losing connectedness" and "not being able to access information" subscales of nomophobia. (d) A statistically significant difference was found between the preservice teachers whose mothers were high school and university graduates in terms of their academic adjustment in favor of the preservice teachers with mothers who had university degrees. (e) The preservice teachers, who stated that their relationship with their family was very good, had higher levels of sense of loneliness, mobile phone addiction, and adjustment to university life than the others. The results were statistically significant in all total scores of the loneliness scale and dimensions except for the dimensions of nomophobia. (f) The students who were hopeful for the future had a high sense of loneliness and adjustment to university life. It was also determined that the students who were desperate for their future had high mobile phone addiction levels. Apart from nomophobia and its dimensions and the social adjustment dimension of university life, statistically significant differences were found between the hopeful and hopeless students in terms of their sense of loneliness and adjustment to university life. (g) Statistically significant mean differences were found between the students who were generally satisfied with and those that were not satisfied with their life in terms of their sense of loneliness and adjustment to university life with its all dimensions in favor of the satisfied ones. (h) The preservice teachers who lived alone at home had a higher sense of loneliness and better adjustment to university life. It was also noteworthy that the students living in dormitories had higher nomophobia levels than the others. (i) A linear relationship was found between the students' sense of loneliness and adjustment to university life, and sense of loneliness was a significant predictor of adjustment to university life. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Determining students' nomophobia levels, sense of loneliness, and adjustment to university life would be beneficial in bringing students who have difficulty adapting to new living environments into social life.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Buscou-se conhecer a opinião de estudantes universitários sobre as características das relações estabelecidas com seus pares, além de como estas se modificam ao longo da graduação e como influenciam na adaptação acadêmica na percepção de calouros e formandos. Foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas individuais com 24 acadêmicos dos cursos de Economia e Psicologia de uma universidade do Sul do Brasil. As respostas foram submetidas à análise de conteúdo. Verificou-se que os calouros têm uma boa relação com os colegas em geral, embora a turma seja percebida como desunida com o passar dos semestres. Mesmo assim, os alunos acreditam que os colegas contribuem para um melhor desempenho acadêmico por meio de apoio afetivo e instrumental. Conclui-se que o estímulo por parte dos docentes para o desenvolvimento de atividades em grupo e a criação de um ambiente com interações saudáveis são relevantes para facilitar a aprendizagem e a familiarização com a universidade.

The aim of this study was to investigate the college students' opinion about the characteristics of the relationship between them and their peers, as well as to understand how it changes over the years and how it influences on the adjustment to college from freshmen's and seniors' perspectives. Individual semi structured interviews were conducted with 24 college students from Economy and Psychology of a university in Southern Brazil. The answers were submitted to content analysis. Results showed that freshmen keep a good relationship with their classmates in general, although the class may be considered as disunited over the terms. Nevertheless, the students believe their classmates contribute to a better performance through emotional and instrumental support. We conclude that the incentive from professors for the development of group activities and for the creation of a pleasant environment is relevant to facilitate the learning and the adaptation to college.

Se buscó conocer la opinión de estudiantes universitarios sobre las características de las relaciones establecidas con sus pares, cómo éstas cambian a lo largo de la carrera y cómo influyen en la adaptación académica en la perspectiva de novatos e inminentes graduados. Se realizaron entrevistas semiestructuradas individuales con 24 estudiantes de las carreras de Economía y Psicología de una universidad del sur de Brasil. Las respuestas fueron sometidas a análisis de contenido. Se verificó que los novatos tienen una buena relación con los compañeros, aunque el grupo sea percibido como desunido al paso del tiempo. No obstante, ellos creen que los compañeros contribuyen para mejorar el rendimiento académico con el apoyo afectivo e instrumental. Se concluye que el estímulo, por parte de los docentes, para el desarrollo de actividades grupales y creación de un ambiente con interacciones saludables son relevantes para facilitar el aprendizaje y la familiarización con la universidad.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to identify factors affecting student adjustment to college among students in health colleges (Nursing, Clinical Pathology, Radiology, Dental Hygienics, Medicine). METHODS: The participants in this study were 261 students in Daejeon city. Data were collected from October 5 to October 14, 2014. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection and data was analyzed using the SPSS/WIN program. RESULTS: Career attitude maturity, calling and work as meaning positively correlated with student adjustment to college. The significant predictors of student adjustment to college were career attitude maturity, calling, always working part-time, major in medicine and average grade for the last semester. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that adjustment to college for students in health colleges is linked to career attitude maturity, and calling. College organization should develop a curriculum fostering a calling which will promote student adjustment to college and graduate health care professionals with desirable attitudes.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

A entrada na universidade envolve mudanças em relação ao ensino médio que demandam adaptação dos estudantes. Essas mudanças podem constituir dificuldades para os alunos, que, frequentemente, buscam auxílio na sua rede de apoio para lidar com as mesmas. Buscou-se conhecer e comparar as percepções de calouros e formandos sobre as principais dificuldades encontradas durante o Ensino Superior e a quem recorrem quando se deparam com essas situações. Foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas com 24 discentes de uma universidade do Rio Grande do Sul. As informações coletadas foram submetidas à análise de conteúdo temática. Identificaram-se três categorias: (1) dificuldades durante a graduação, (2) rede de apoio e (3) mudanças nas relações com os familiares. Foram observadas semelhanças e diferenças entre calouros e formandos quanto aos aspectos investigados. As semelhanças parecem decorrer das demandas características da trajetória universitária e as diferenças podem estar associadas às transformações vividas pelos alunos durante a vida universitária.

Getting into the university involves changes from high school that require students’ adjustment. These changes may become challenges for the students, who frequently seek help from their support network to cope with them. This study aimed to investigate and compare perceptions of freshman and senior students regarding the main difficulties during college as well as the support network they build. Twenty four college students of Economy and Psychology from a university in Rio Grande do Sul were interviewed. The data collected were examined by content analysis. Three categories were identified: i) difficulties during college, ii) support network, and iii) changes in family relations. Similarities and differences were observed between freshman and senior students concerning the aspects that were investigated. The similarities are likely to be a result of the demands during college and the differences may be associated with changes these students experienced in this period.

El ingreso a la universidad implica cambios respecto a la enseñanza media, demandando adaptación de los estudiantes. Ello puede generar dificultades para los alumnos, que generalmente buscan auxilio en su red de apoyo. Se buscó conocer y comparar las percepciones de los novatos y de los inminentes graduados sobre las principales dificultades encontradas en la graduación y a quienes buscaban en esas situaciones. Se realizaron entrevistas semiestructuradas con 24 dicentes de una universidad de Río Grande del Sur. Las informaciones recolectadas fueron sometidas a análisis de contenido temático, identificándose tres categorías: (1) dificultades durante la graduación; (2) red de apoyo; y (3) cambios en la relación con los familiares. Se observaron semejanzas y diferencias entre novatos e inminentes graduados respecto a los aspectos investigados. Aquellas parecen advenir de las demandas características de la trayectoria universitaria, y éstas pueden asociarse a las transformaciones vividas por los alumnos durante la vida universitaria.

Asunto(s)