First-Generation College Students: A Look beyond Academics. An Examination of the Emotional and Mental Health of First-Generation College Students Öffentlichkeit
Orleans, Rachel Aba (2011)
Abstract
Abstract
First-Generation College Students: A Look beyond Academics. An
Examination of the
Emotional and Mental Health of First-Generation College
Students
By Rachel Aba Orleans
Objectives: The aims of this study were to: assess
whether first-generation undergraduate
college students are different from continuing-generation
undergraduate college students
on socio-demographic characteristics; determine whether there is an
association between
presence of mental disorders and students' generation status;
determine whether there is
an association between mental health and students' generation
status; determine whether
there is evidence of a positive causal relationship between
generation status and mental
disorders; determine whether there is evidence of a positive causal
relationship between
generation status and poor mental health; and investigate whether
generation status is
associated with mental health help-seeking behavior of
students.
Methods: This study involved a secondary data analysis of
the 2009 Healthy Minds
Study, a web-based survey that collected mental health information
about college
students at fifteen educational institutions in the United States.
First-generation and
continuing-generation Bachelor's degree-seeking students were
compared on socio-
demographic characteristics, measures of mental health, and
help-seeking behavior.
Results: First-generation students differed from
continuing-generation students on socio-
demographic characteristics. First-generation students were less
likely to screen positive
for anxiety, depression, suicide ideation, and languishing than
continuing-generation
students. First-generation students were more likely to attempt
suicide than continuing-
generation students. First-generation students did not differ from
continuing-generation
students on planning to commit suicide, flourishing, and
help-seeking behavior.
Conclusion: First-generation students experience greater
stressors and challenges, yet
their emotional and mental health are similar to or even better
than that of continuing-
generation students, indicating that something about being a
first-generation student
protects students from having poor emotional and mental health. We
theorize that this
protective factor may be resiliency. Another possible explanation
for why first-
generation students have a lower likelihood of adverse mental
health outcomes may be
that first-generation students are less likely to recognize,
acknowledge, or admit to having
emotional and mental health issues. The only measure of mental
health in which first-
generation students were at risk for was suicide attempt. This is
an interesting
phenomenon that warrants further study.
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES
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ii
LIST OF FIGURES
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iii
INTRODUCTION
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1
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
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5
METHODS, ANALYSIS AND RESULTS
..................................................................................
14
DISCUSSION
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33
REFERENCES
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43
About this Master's Thesis
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