The relationship between participation in a student support service program, psychological adjustment, and student classification for first generation and low income college students.

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between participation in a Student Support Service (SSS) program, psychological adjustment, and student classification for first generation and low income college students. These students are referred to as "at risk" because they are less likely to complete degree programs than other students. The SSS program Project Challenge at Emporia State University in Kansas is a federally mandated program available to students at risk. This program offers support in three areas determined to have influence in retaining these students: advising, tutoring, and counseling. Tutoring and advising contribute to increased retention rates. The level of psychological adjustment for students considered at risk has not been researched despite evidence suggesting their adjustment to college life is more difficult than other students. Consequently, no data exist to confirm that participation in support services contributes not only to academic adjustment, but also to psychological adjustment, thereby increasing the likelihood of adaptation to college and better retention rates for those at risk. It was hypothesized that at-risk students' psychological adjustment scores would reflect favorable differences in adjustment for those with the lengthiest enrollment in a SSS program as measured by student classification. The Hopkins Symptom Checklist-58 (HSCL), a self-report symptom rating scale measuring psychological adjustment, was mailed to 159 at-risk students. Student classification did not significantly predict HSCL scores. However, other research has shown participation in support services, measured by the extent of contact with services, favorably affects retention rates. Frequency of service participation in the freshman year may have nullified the expected effect of psychological adjustment scores correlating with student classification. Further research would contribute to understanding if psychological adjustment is a factor in retention rates for the student at risk population.