In this study, we examined distress levels of first-generation college students at intake from an average of 137 university and college counseling centers that participated in data collection with the Center for Collegiate Mental Health (CCMH) between the 2012–2015 academic school years. We gathered descriptive data from the CCMH Standardized Data Set (SDS), and then examined itemized responses from the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms 62 (CCAPS-62). Students completed the SDS and CCAPS-62 at intake, and both measures rely on self-report. We divided student data (N = 184,334) into groups based on educational status: first-generation (FG) or non-first generation (NFG), and ethnic minority status: White (W) or minority (M), with several minorities grouped into the M variable. This created four subgroups: first-generation minority (FGM), first-generation White (FGW), non-first-generation minority (NFGM), and non-first-generation White (NFGW). We compared participants according to subgroup across the CCAPS distress index (which utilizes items from the depression, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, academic distress and hostility subscales), and the eight CCAPS distress subscales of: depression, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, academic distress, eating concerns, hostility, family distress and substance/alcohol use. We found significant differences on all subscales across subgroups. We ran statistics to determine between subject effects and estimated marginal means and found statically significant results across the distress index and the eight CCAPS distress subscales. Significant results showed the highest levels of distress in FG students, with FGM students higher on the majority of subscales. Further research is needed to understand the different levels and patters of distress in these populations.

This study employed narrative methods to explore how two Somali-Canadian women formed and understood their identities as first-generation university students. In conceptualizing identity, the study draws on sociological literature that frames identities as a collection of social roles that are performed. Within this framework, university student is a cultural object related to specific kinds of capital. The data are presented in narrative form, based in life history and life story approaches. Within their narratives, participants recounted the ways in which their attempts at developing a university student identity were complicated by their identities as Black, Muslim, economically marginalized individuals from refugee backgrounds. The tension at the heart of each participants’ narrative was not how to perform the university student role, but the cost of that performance on other parts of their identity. These findings reveal the narrow definition university student within the Canadian imagination and its consequence for the lives of marginalized communities.

The unique experience of first generation college students from frontier communities as they transition to college has not yet been explored in the literature. The current study was designed to explore those experiences and the ways the frontier context and first generation status shape identity development once these youth have left their families and home communities and made the transition to college. To gain a rich understanding of the experiences of first generation college students from frontier communities, this study employed a phenomenological qualitative design and the findings were interpreted through a social constructionist lens. Eleven emerging adults were recruited from Utah State University for the current study. In-depth interviews were conducted with all study participants. In addition, each participant brought an item of significance to the interview and responded to a member checking email. Results of the study indicated that the emerging adults in the sample faced challenges when making the transition to college, but that these challenges were also accompanied by positive experiences. Four themes emerged as relevant to the participants’ identity formation in the college context: hard work, religion, appreciation for living simply, and importance of being a role model. For the current sample, their status as first generation students and the frontier context in which they were raised shaped their identities in unique ways. This interplay is discussed along with directions for future research.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect generational status had on the overall college adjustment experiences of Hispanic community college students. A total of 75 Hispanic students enrolled in their 1st year of study at a comprehensive community college located in south Texas agreed to participate in the study after being recruited using a convenience sampling method. Participating students were asked to complete a brief demographic questionnaire and the self-report Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ). Mean difference scores across the 4 subscales of the SACQ were compared using a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) design. The results of the MANOVA analysis indicated significant differences existing between first-generation and continuing-generation students on 2 of the 4 SACQ subscales, with social adjustment and institutional attachment being the only areas in which significant differences did not exist after applying the Bonferroni correction. Results are interpreted in terms of their impact on community college leaders’ efforts to retain and support minority students. In addition, considerations for future research are presented and discussed.

A variety of programs exist that provide assistance to underprepared and at-risk students at 2-year and 4-year institutions of higher education. One of these programs is Student Support Services (SSS), a federal program funded by the U. S. Department of Education. The SSS program provides opportunities for academic development, assists students with basic college requirements, and serves to motivate students toward the successful completion of their postsecondary education. The goal of SSS is to increase the college retention and graduation rates of its participants and help students make the transition from one level of higher education to the next. SSS may also provide assistance to students receiving Federal Pell Grants (84.063). Those eligible to participate in SSS programs include students from low-income families, those who are first-generation college enrollees and students with disabilities evidencing academic need. The program includes tutoring; academic counseling, personal counseling, career advising; study skills enhancement and personal development workshops. Assistance is also given to students to apply for various forms of financial aid, including state and federal grant programs and local scholarships. Most programs also provide cultural enrichment activities. This study investigates the impact of the SSS program on the retention of students at SKCTC. Participants in this study were 125 students in the SSS program and 125 non-SSS students who entered SKCTC in the fall of 2003 and ended in 2007. The study compares the demographic profile of these groups.

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The current study seeks to examine the relationship between family struggles, as measured by social class and parental marital status, and substance use among first-generation college students. 902 students from the University of Central Florida participated in an online questionnaire that assessed their social class, parents’ marital status, drug and alcohol use, as well as demographic variables. Results indicated a significant positive correlation between substance use and social class as well as generational status. Males were also more likely to use drugs and alcohol than females. A regression analysis indicated social class, gender, junior and senior academic years were all identified as significant predictors of drug and alcohol use, whereas college student generational status, parents’ marital status, freshmen and sophomore academic years were not. There are various possible explanations that may account for the reasoning behind first-generation students not being vulnerable to substance use, including extensive stressors specific to that population as discussed with previous literature. The findings of the current study can be implicated throughout counseling centers and prevention programs among college campuses in order to decrease the high prevalence of substance use among college students and prevent negative consequences.

This qualitative, phenomenological research study was conducted to investigate the influences of self-efficacy on the college experiences and beliefs about capabilities of single parent, first-generation, transfer students. Consistent and strong levels of self-efficacy were revealed within each of the eight participants. Major participant themes identified through the Pattern Recognition Flowchart include that (a) children are a primary source of motivation and influence, (b) education is the pathway for a better future and career, (c) participants possess strong academic and personal efficacy, (d) participants possess a support network and (e) first-generation status serves as a motivating factor. Minor themes include that participants (a) were influenced by strong role models and positive encouragement and (b) possessed an ability to persevere through significant obstacles. While several of the themes corroborated extant research, some themes supported a unique perspective for this growing student population.

The purpose of this qualitative study focused on the experiences of first-generation students attending a technical college in rural West Tennessee. The results of this study may identify barriers faced by students from these special populations and may also provide insight into the support systems that motivate these students to persevere. Although significant research has been conducted on first-generation and underrepresented students attending community colleges and four-year universities, there is a gap in the published literature pertaining to the lived experiences of students attending technical colleges, especially those living in rural areas. First-generation college students face many challenges as they strive to integrate and acclimate to the college campus environment, such as having poor study skills or habits, lack of peer support, and fear of the college environment. In addition, the lack of specific social and cultural capital contributes to their inability to navigate the college experience and complete their degree or certificate attainment. This research involved interviews with 17 students attending a technical college in rural West Tennessee. Participants discussed their experiences while enrolled at the technical college, backgrounds which included prior educational experiences, any barriers they faced, and identified support systems that increased their academic success. The findings indicate additional campus programs and initiatives may be needed at the technical colleges, especially those in rural areas, to help low-income students with their educational outcomes.