The purpose of the present study is to investigate the role of gender, acculturative stress, coping skills, cultural distance, and perceived social support in predicting college adjustment scores of international students who attend universities in Ankara. The sample of the study consisted of 170 (135 males and 35 females) volunteered international students from one private and four state universities in Ankara. A Personal Data Sheet developed by the researcher, Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (Baker &amp / Siryk, 1984), Acculturative Stress Scale for International Students (Sandhu &amp / Asrabadi, 1994), Brief COPE (Carver, 1997), Cultural Distance Scale (Bekta

The present study aimed to reveal the effect of family functioning, attachment styles in romantic relationships, and city of origin on the emotional well-being of first year university students. 286 first-year university students from the Department of Basic English at Middle East Technical University participated in the study. They completed a demographic information sheet, the McMaster Family Assessment Device, the short-form Version of Experiences in Close Relationships Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Hopelessness Scale. ANOVAs were run to find out if there are significant differences in the emotional well-being of participants with different cities of origin and gender. To assess if there are significant differences in the emotional well-being between participants with different attachment styles and cities of origin, ANCOVAs (Gender as the covariate factor) were conducted. Finally, regressions were run to find out the relationship between demographic variables, attachment styles, family functioning, and emotional well-being of first-year university students. The participants who moved to Ankara when they started university were found to report more depressive symptoms than the participants who had been living in Ankara. Further significant differences were observed in the depression and hopelessness levels of participants with different attachment styles. In general, those participants having fearful attachment styles tended to have more depressive symptoms and hopelessness as compared to those having secure and preoccupied attachment styles. Regression analyses revealed that absence of secure attachment style, fearful attachment style, and problems in affective responsiveness in the family were associated with symptoms of depression. Gender, fearful attachment style, and communication problems in the family were found to be associated with symptoms of anxiety / and fearful attachment style, communication problems in the family and inappropriate family roles were found to associate with hopelessness. These findings were discussed with reference to relevant literature. Future research topics were suggested and thereupatic implications of the study were stated.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is characterized by a persistent, frequent and severe pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity or impulsivity. Although ADHD is chronic and interferes in several contexts of life, there are people with the disorder who can join higher education and be successful. Researchers have investigated ADHD repercussions for college experience, however, they have explained neither which dimensions of college adjustment (personal, interpersonal, study, career, and institutional) suffer greater influence by ADHD symptoms, nor if the symptoms may affect professional self-efficacy of college students. This research was divided into two studies. The first study aimed to perform a systematic review of literature about ADHD implications for college experience, highlighting the similarities and differences between students with and without the disorder concerning academic context. Students with and without ADHD are likely to present no difference regarding self-concept and psychological well-being, although they differ from each other when it comes to college adjustment and concern with academic performance. The second study aimed to test a theoretical model through path analysis, in which dimensions of college adjustment mediate the relationship between ADHD symptoms and professional self-efficacy. The participants were 510 college students from 12 courses of two public universities in Rio Grande do Sul. Data were gathered through a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Adult Self-Report Scale (ASRS), the Academic Experiences Questionnaire reduced version (AEQ-r), and the Professional Self-Efficacy Scale (PSES). We verified that physical and psychological well-being and the establishment of a social support network may reduce the potential damages to professional self-efficacy due to the symptoms of the disorder. Implications of these results for academic routine and clinical practice are discussed in the end of the thesis. / O Transtorno do Déficit de Atenção/Hiperatividade (TDAH) é caracterizado por um padrão persistente, frequente e grave de desatenção e/ou hiperatividade ou impulsividade. Embora o TDAH seja crônico e interfira em diversos contextos de vida, há indivíduos com o transtorno que ingressam no ensino superior e conseguem ser bem sucedidos. Pesquisadores têm se dedicado a investigar as possíveis repercussões do TDAH no contexto universitário, mas não esclarecem quais dimensões da adaptação acadêmica (pessoal, interpessoal, estudo, carreira ou institucional) sofrem maior interferência dos sintomas do TDAH, nem se os mesmos podem afetar as crenças dos universitários sobre autoeficácia profissional. Essa pesquisa foi dividida em dois estudos. O primeiro estudo busca realizar uma revisão sistemática de literatura sobre as implicações do TDAH durante a graduação, com destaque para as semelhanças e diferenças entre os estudantes com e sem o transtorno no que se refere ao contexto acadêmico. Os jovens com e sem TDAH tendem a ser semelhantes no que se refere ao autoconceito, ao bem-estar psicológico, à satisfação com a vida social no início da graduação, e diferentes quanto à adaptação acadêmica e às preocupações com o desempenho. O segundo estudo procura testar, via path analysis, um modelo teórico em que dimensões da adaptação acadêmica medeiam a relação entre sintomas do TDAH e autoeficácia profissional. Participaram do estudo 510 estudantes universitários de 12 cursos de duas universidades públicas do interior do Rio Grande do Sul. A coleta dos dados foi realizada através de um questionário sociodemográfico, do Adult Self-Report Scale (ASRS), do Questionário de Vivências Acadêmicas Versão Reduzida (QVA-r) e da Escala de Autoeficácia Profissional (EAP). Verificou-se que o possível impacto dos sintomas de desatenção/hiperatividade na autoeficácia profissional pode ser minimizado pelo bem-estar físico e psicológico e pela rede de apoio social do estudante universitário. Implicações dos resultados para a rotina acadêmica e para a prática clínica são discutidas ao final da dissertação.

Minimal empirical research using longitudinal data to explore integrative models of eating disorder development exists. The purpose of this study was to further explore multidimensional models incorporating parental attachment, history of stress, appraisal/coping processes, internalization of the thin-ideal, negative affect, body image, and eating disordered behavior using prospective, longitudinal data. The models were evaluated using 238 participants who completed an initial series of self-report questionnaires during their first semester in college and completed follow-up questionnaires 6 months and 18 months later. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationships among the factors. Analyses confirmed that college freshman with insecure parental attachment relationships and those with a history of previous stressful experiences appraised the adjustment to college as more stressful and reported feeling less able to cope with the transition; these conditions predicted increased negative affect and increased eating disturbances. Women who reported experiencing negative affect and those that endorsed internalization of the thin-ideal also reported higher levels of body dissatisfaction; these women engaged in more disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. A second model investigating negative affect as mediating the relationship between the appraisal/coping process and eating disturbances also revealed that experiencing difficulties with the transition to college predicted later negative mood states. Further, women who reported increased negative affect also reported increased eating disturbances. Finally, cross-lagged and simultaneous effects between selected factors were evaluated. Results from these analyses are mixed, but they provide additional information about the predictive relationships among factors that play a role in the development of eating disorders. The results of this study provide valuable information about the development of eating disorders that can be used to aid prevention and treatment. Examination of these models in a large independent sample might provide confirmation of these relationships, and investigation of the models during different developmental periods might also provide important information about the development of eating disturbances and those individuals who are most at risk.

This study examined whether first-generation South Asian American college students are different from continuing-generation South Asian American college students in their college adjustment, as measured by the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire and their psychological well-being (PWB), as measured by the Scales of Psychological Well-Being (SPWB). The Asian population is one of the fastest growing minority groups in the United States. Despite being the third largest Asian subgroup, South Asians continue to be underrepresented within the educational and psychological literature. A review of studies shows that compared to continuing-generation college students (CGCS), first-generation college students (FGCS) are disadvantaged in terms of their demographic characteristics, pre-college preparation, knowledge about higher education, non-cognitive variables (e.g., self-esteem), and adjustment to college. Additionally, existing research shows that FGCS experience higher levels of psychological distress and lower levels of PWB. This study found that FGCS were significantly more likely to live and work off campus, have lower household incomes, and spend fewer hours per week participating in co-curricular activities than their CGCS peers. Furthermore, FGCS had lower levels of social and academic adjustment compared to their counterparts. Finally, while FGCS had lower mean scores on the SPWB than their peers, only the scores on the Personal Growth subscale were significantly different. Understanding and contextualizing the experiences of racial/ethnic minority students who are first in their family to pursue higher education will help educators and psychologists to identify, develop, and implement culturally appropriate instructional strategies, programs, services, and treatments. Consequently, this would help nontraditional youth transition successfully into college and thrive psychologically.

While a great deal of psychological research is conducted on college students, less has been done on their adaptation to college. These young adults, as they develop ego identity and differentiate themselves from parents and families, must adjust to the social and academic environment of college. Psychosocial adjustment predicts college retention better than academic predictors do. First generation college students face greater than typical challenges adapting to college. The Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program exists to aid first generation, lower income undergraduate student who wish to pursue a doctoral degree. Self-definition scored from thematic apperceptive technique stories reflects an individual’s relative freedom from social role constraint. This study examined the role of self-definition and familial understanding and acceptance in this population as predictors of successful adaptation to college. While neither was found to be a significant predictor, family understanding and acceptance was found to be a more defining characteristic of this sample than was self-definition. This suggests that when social support is sufficient, individuals do not need to rely on self-definition.

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