Adult College Research Articles

A Web-Based Intervention for Insufficiently Active College Students: Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy.

One third of college students do not achieve aerobic activity levels recommended for physical and mental health. The web-based "I Can Be Active!" intervention was designed to help college students increase their physical activity. The intervention was grounded in the Multi-Process Action Control (M-PAC) framework which emphasizes translating intention into sustainable action. The primary purpose was to evaluate the feasibility of the intervention with insufficiently active young adult college students. The secondary purposes were to describe the preliminary effects of the intervention on: (1) the M-PAC constructs and (2) physical activity. Twenty-one college students, ages 18 to 24, were enrolled in the pre-post quasi-experimental study to test the 8-week intervention during Spring 2021. Data were collected via self-report questionnaires, web-analytics, and interviews. Feasibility outcomes included recruitment, retention, acceptability, practicality, and implementation. Preliminary efficacy outcomes were self-report M-PAC constructs and physical activity. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, t tests, Wilcoxon signed rank tests, Hedge's g, and thematic analysis. Recruitment and retention rates were 70% and 71%, respectively. Participants reacted positively to the program, content, and features, except the manual entry step tracker and private social media group. Positive trends and significant increases were found in the regulatory and reflexive M-PAC constructs (self-regulation, habit, and identity) and physical activity. Findings support the feasibility and preliminary effects of the intervention for insufficiently active college students and highlight implications for intervention refinement. Future research will test intervention effectiveness using a randomized controlled trial with a larger diverse sample of college students.

The longitudinal mediating role of sleep in associations between COVID-19 stressors predicting mental and physical health outcomes among emerging adult college students.

The current study tested a longitudinal mediation model throughout the COVID-19 pandemic focused on whether students' housing instability stress and food/financial instability stress at the beginning of the pandemic in spring 2020 (T1) informed sleep dissatisfaction and duration in fall 2020 (T2) and, in turn, physical and mental health in spring 2021 (T3). Further, we tested whether relations varied based on students' ethnic-racial backgrounds. Participants included 879 Asian, Black, Latine, Multiracial, and White emerging adult college students (Mage=19.95, SD=0.33) from a large public university in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States who attended college during the COVID-19 pandemic and completed surveys about their experiences. Findings indicated a significant mediation process, such that T1 housing instability stress predicted greater T2 sleep dissatisfaction and, in turn, less physical health, greater depressive symptoms, and greater anxiety symptoms at T3. Additionally, T1 food/financial instability stress was significantly associated with less T2 sleep duration but was not, in turn, associated with any T3 outcomes. Findings did not vary by students' ethnicity/race. Results highlight that sleep dissatisfaction is an important factor that accounts for relations between COVID-19 stressors predicting mental and physical health outcomes throughout the pandemic.

A Scoping Review of Determinants of Drinking and Driving Behavior among Young Adult College Students in the US

College students are a primary population for risky alcohol use behaviors, with one of every eleven students grappling with severe alcohol-related issues. The objective of this scoping review was to synthesize the existing literature to identify factors influencing the prevalence of drinking and driving (DAD) behaviors among college students. A scoping review was conducted using Medline (PubMed), ERIC, The American Journal on Addictions, and the NCHA databases. Criteria for article selection included being published in English and focused on DAD behaviors among college students. Articles excluded from the review were systematic reviews and discussion pieces without empirical findings related to college DAD. Of the included studies (n = 23), most identified a range of factors as being influential in college students’ DAD behavior including a family history of alcohol misuse, the use of other substances such as marijuana, age of initial alcohol consumption, place of residence, propensity for sensation seeking, affiliation with sorority/fraternity groups, and the perception of associated risks. Effective strategies may include education on the risks of combined alcohol and substance use, screening and brief interventions tailored to at-risk students, and the implementation of campus policies that promote responsible alcohol consumption and deter DAD.

Development and Validation of the Online Sexual Objectification Experiences Scale Among College Women

In this study, we developed and psychometrically evaluated the Online Sexual Objectification Experiences Scale (OSOES). We collected data from 816 emerging adult college women across two samples. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed three factors: Unwanted Sexual Advances (example item: “How often have you received unwanted messages online asking about your sexual experience?”), Negative Appearance Commentary (example item: “How often has another person insulted you by calling you unattractive online?”), and Indirect Sexual Objectification (example item: “How often have you read a sexual comment posted to a photo of another woman's body online?”). OSOES scores were internally consistent and were strongly correlated with scores of self-objectification, body surveillance, and body shame. OSOES subscale scores also provided evidence of incremental validity in predicting self-objectification and objectified body consciousness above and beyond offline interpersonal sexual objectification. We hope that findings from the present study and the OSOES can be used by researchers, clinicians, and educators to understand the frequency of online sexual objectification experiences among women and as a result, work to mitigate harmful outcomes. Additional online materials for this article are available on PWQ's website at http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/suppl/DOI:10.1177/03616843241250295

The relationships between fear of missing out and psychological and sociocultural factors in Latinx emerging adult college students.

The proliferation of social media has resulted in negative consequences such as fear of missing out (FoMO), the anxious feelings one has when others are having rewarding experiences. Few studies have assessed FoMO in Latinx emerging adult college students, none utilizing the socioecological framework. This study assessed the relationships between FoMO and psychological and sociocultural risk and protective factors. Latinx college students (n = 452; Mage = 19.97 years, SD = 1.89; 77.2% female) completed an online survey assessing demographics, FoMO, social media addiction, depression, anxiety, stress, Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, familism, and acculturation. Two multiple linear regressions assessed the associations between FoMO and psychological and sociocultural factors. Both regressions were statistically significant. First, FoMO was positively associated with social media addiction, depression, and Machiavellianism. Second, FoMO was positively associated with familial honor and negatively associated with familial interconnectedness and ethnic social relations. Associations between FoMO and psychological factors are consistent with past literature, yet they highlight the need for prospective studies to assess temporality. The fact that FoMO was related uniquely to familistic attitudes suggests the importance of family in FoMO perceptions and the need to assess these associations in a more nuanced manner. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Comorbidity between body dissatisfaction and nicotine vaping among young adults in college: a daily diary study

Objective: The purpose of this study was to elucidate comorbidity between body dissatisfaction and nicotine vaping. Participants: Participants were 121 college students (M age = 20.51 years; 75.0% female; 75.2% White) who participated in a 14-day daily diary study. Methods: Logistic regression was used to test links between baseline trait body dissatisfaction and vaping frequency across 14 days. Multilevel logistic regression was used to test within-person, daily links between body dissatisfaction and nicotine vaping. Results: Each additional unit of trait body dissatisfaction increased the odds of frequent vaping by 33% (95% CI [1.00, 1.77]) and daily vaping by 54% (95% CI [1.10, 2.15]). Within-person, daily associations between body dissatisfaction and vaping were nonsignificant. Conclusions: Body dissatisfaction may increase college students’ risk for engaging in frequent nicotine vaping. However, daily changes in body dissatisfaction may not predict same- or next-day vaping. College students with body dissatisfaction may benefit from nicotine interventions.

Prevalence and Correlates of Exposure (Direct and Indirect) to Perceived Racism-Based Police Violence among Black Emerging Adult College Students

ABSTRACT A growing body of evidence makes plain that exposure to perceived racism-based events, particularly for Black emerging adults aged 18–29, represents a major public health concern in the United States given its widespread prevalence and documented association with adverse health outcomes. However, research on the prevalence and correlates of exposure to perceived racism-based police violence (RPV) for Black emerging adults is scant. The current study examines the prevalence and correlates of RPV exposure among a sample of 300 Black emerging adult college students, utilizing computer-assisted surveys. Univariate, bivariate, and multiple linear regression analyzes were conducted. We found moderately low rates for direct RPV exposure (M ean = 5.85) and moderately high rates (M ean = 10.4) for indirect exposure. Being younger and having incomes greater than $10,000 were significant predictors of direct RPV exposure, whereas being female and older were significant predictors of indirect RPV exposure. Our findings provide implications for future research and underscore the need for social work clinicians to include the RPV scales during their assessments for traumatic experiences.

Validation and Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Version of the Binge Eating Scale in Young Adults.

Although structured clinical interviews are considered the gold standard for assessing binge eating disorder (BED), the self-administered Binge Eating Scale (BES) has been widely used as a screening tool for BED in clinical research. However, the psychometric properties of the BES among Chinese young adults remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the validity of a Chinese version of the BES with a large sample. A total of 2182 young adult college students were tested using the Simplified Chinese version of BES (SCBES), the 7-Item Binge-Eating Disorder Screener (BEDS-7), the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), and the Dual-Modes of Self-Control Scale (DMSC). The frequency of objective binge-eating episodes was used as a measure of severity. Validity and reliability of the SCBES were assessed through multiple analyses, along with the item analysis. The data revealed that the SCBES demonstrated reasonable reliability and validity. The Cronbach's α value was 0.813, with a one-month test-retest reliability of 0.835. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) extracted three first-order factors, which explained a total of 53.82% of the variance. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed the three-factor model (ie, Binge-eating behaviors, Lack of control, Negative affects related to overeating), with a good model fit. The SCBES also demonstrated excellent concurrent and criterion validity, significantly correlating with the BEDS-7 and frequency of objective binge-eating episodes (r=0.760-0.782, p<0.001). Gender, body mass index, depression, anxiety, impulsivity, and self-control were significantly associated with the total score of SCBES. The SCBES demonstrated sound psychometric properties and exhibited good cross-cultural adaptability in Chinese young adults, with a novel three-factor model fitting the data best. This scale could serve as a useful screening tool for identifying the severity of binge eating behaviors among Chinese youths.

Determinants of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination intentions among young adult college students using the theory of planned behavior

Purpose: To determine college students’ intentions to be Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinated. Methods: The study was comprised of college students aged 18–45 years. A survey was developed based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The significance of the TPB constructs—attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control—and an additional construct—knowledge—in predicting intention were assessed. Results: The regression model containing attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control accounted for 40% of the variance in intention. Attitude and subjective norms were significant predictors, while perceived behavioral control was not. Provider recommendation was the only significant covariate. Knowledge did not significantly contribute to the model. Discussion: The TPB was useful in predicting HPV vaccination intentions. A focus on attitude, subjective norms and provider recommendation may be useful in creating new or enhancing existing interventions.

Pattern, Outcome and Associated Factors of Oncologic Emergencies Among Patients Visiting Saint Paul ‘s Hospital Millennium Medical College Adult Emergency Department: One Year Cross Sectional Study

Introduction: Cancer patients are at high risk of developing a wide range of medicalemergencies.Patients with cancer face unique disease and treatment-related complications that promptfrequent visits to the emergency department (ED), constituting a significant patient andhealth care burden, resulting in more utilization of resources and ED overcrowding, whichmay hamper the administration of quality and focused care.Objective: The study aimed to assess the patterns, outcomes, and associated factors ofoncologic emergencies among patients visiting Saint Paul's Hospital Millennium MedicalCollege adult emergency department from March 1/2021, to April 30/2022.Methods: A retrospective institutional-based cross-sectional study was used. Data wascollected using a standardized data extraction tool by trained data collectors from patientmedical records and health management information system registry books using asystematic sampling method. A total of 173 cancer patients were included. Data wasanalyzed using SPSS version 25.0.Results: A total of 173 cancer patients were included in the study. The mean age of thestudy participants was 53.05 ± 14.801 years. 56.6% were females, and 43.4% were males.The most prevalent primary tumors were those of the gastrointestinal tract (49.7%) andgenitourinary system (19.1%). About 39.9% of the cases had metastasis. Only 39.3% ofcases started cancer treatment. Oncologic emergencies account for 68.8% of the cases. Themost frequently observed oncologic emergencies were structural (Mass effect) in 64.7% ofcases and hematologic emergencies in 34.45%. About 19.3% of patients with oncologicemergencies have died. The commonest cause of death was due to Gastrointestinalmalignancies, seen in 34.6% of the cases. Those with Hematologic Emergencies had a 4.2times risk of death as compared to patients with local mass effects (P value &lt; 0.006).Conclusion: Oncologic emergencies comprised 68.8% of the cases, of which 19.3% resultedin mortality. There should be a well-organized system with chemotherapy, radiotherapy,and palliative care facility service for patients with oncologic emergencies to reduce patientmortality.

It's how I was raised: How ethnic-racial socialization patterns influence antiracism actions in minoritized emerging adults.

Research highlights the benefits of critical action on individual and community well-being; however, more needs to be understood about the ways ethnic-racial socialization (ERS) influences emerging adults' participation in antiracism actions. The present study examined patterns of parental ERS messages received by a sample of 668 racially and ethnically minoritized emerging adult college students (Mage = 18.76, SD = 1.23; female = 81.8%), and their associations with the emerging adults' demographic characteristics and three forms of antiracism actions. A latent profile analysis revealed a five-profile solution and showed variability in patterns of parental cultural socialization and preparation for bias messages. Participants in profiles reflecting far higher than average frequencies of both messages (high frequency) and those who received mean preparation for bias and above-average cultural socialization (culturally focused) tended to engage most frequently across all forms of antiracism. Our findings suggest the importance of parental ERS messages for fostering engagement in antiracism actions among diverse college students. Results are informative for those who work with minoritized emerging adults navigating racist contexts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Inequalities in emerging adult college students’ sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective To examine inequalities in sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic by gender, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic position (SEP), and test associations between discrimination and sleep quality in a national longitudinal cohort of emerging adult college students. Participants Participants were enrolled in college full-time and were aged 18–22 at baseline. Methods Participants completed online surveys in spring 2020 (N = 707) and summer 2021 (n = 313). Measures included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Everyday Discrimination Scale. Results Most students reported poor sleep quality (78% in 2020; 82% in 2021) and those from marginalized groups generally experienced worse sleep quality. Discrimination was associated with poorer concurrent sleep quality at both time points. Conclusions Sleep inequalities among college students continued to manifest during the pandemic, even when students were not necessarily on campus. Colleges should take a multi-pronged approach to promote sleep quality through individual, community, and institutional interventions.

Storytelling Elaboration and Hope During COVID-19 Shutdowns: Ties with College Adults’ Psychosocial Adjustment

Storytelling Elaboration and Hope During COVID-19 Shutdowns: Ties with College Adults’ Psychosocial Adjustment

Electronic Cigarette Use and Anxiety Among College Students: "Trapped in That Cycle".

Electronic cigarette use is the most prevalent form of tobacco among young college adults between 18 and 25 years old. In addition, during the young adult years, mental health issues surface, such as anxiety. As a result of these factors, it is imperative to describe the experience of electronic cigarettes among college students to better understand the cycle of addiction among electronic cigarette users. This study aims to explore and describe the experience of electronic cigarette use among college students who report feelings of anxiety. A qualitative descriptive study design with the Roy Adaptation Model as the theoretical framework was used to describe the experience. The setting was at one medium-sized private university on the east coast of the United States. Twenty participants met the study inclusion criteria of traditional undergraduate students aged 18-25 years. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, a smoking status questionnaire, a self-report feelings of anxiety questionnaire, and a semistructured interview guide. Data analysis synthesized three themes: the perfect storm, the power of ripping the nic, and trapped in that cycle. It was found through interviews that feelings of anxiety and the vape culture, along with the college experience, led to the powerful draw to electronic cigarette use among this population. This study reflects findings that the college life experience, the vape culture, and the feelings of anxiety contribute to electronic cigarette use and, finally, lead to intense addiction.

Defining and Discussing Independence in Emerging Adult College Students

Defining and Discussing Independence in Emerging Adult College Students

Sleep quality and executive function in a diverse sample of healthy young adults

Few studies examine the relationship between sleep and executive function in diverse samples of young adults. Our research aims to fill this gap by analyzing how self-reported sleep quality is related to informant-rated executive function as a whole and its working memory component in a diverse sample of 29 healthy college students. Using the self-report measure, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), we divided our sample into two groups based on cutoff criteria (score ≥5: poor sleep): good sleep quality (n = 11) and poor sleep quality (n = 18). Participants were on average 20.86 years old. Informants rated participants’ executive functioning and working memory using the Frontal Systems Behavior Scale (FrSBe) and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). Individuals in the poor sleep quality group were reported as having significantly worse executive function and working memory scores. Young adult college students who report less than 7 hours of sleep per night have lower scores on informant measures of working memory and executive function. This study raises awareness about how self-reported sleep experiences are related to other’s observation of cognitive abilities in everyday life in a diverse young adult sample.

Financial Independence of Emerging Adult College Students

Financial Independence of Emerging Adult College Students

Exploring Facilitators and Barriers to STD/STI/HIV Self-Testing Among College Students in the United States: A Scoping Review.

HIV affects 1.2 million Americans, with 20% of new diagnoses being 13 to 24-year-olds. Young adult college students are more likely than the general population of 18 to 24-year-olds in the U.S. to engage in sexual practices that increase their risk of STIs. This scoping review explores factors that promote or hinder STD/STI/HIV self-testing among U.S. college students. A scoping review of original, experimental (randomized or nonrandomized), observational (longitudinal and cross-sectional), and qualitative or mixed-methods U.S. research was conducted using OVID Medline, OVID Embase, PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science Core Collection, and Cochrane CENTRAL. English-language studies measured STD/STI/HIV self-test kits and college student testing. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were used to narrow down articles that addressed barriers and facilitators to STD/STI/HIV testing, and self-testing among college students in the U.S. Database searches yielded 8,373 articles. After removing duplicates, 6173 items remained. After independent dual-title/abstract screening, 100 papers were full-text reviewed. Seven retrieved articles were unavailable, and 93 were selected for full-text screening. After reviewing the whole text, 89 papers did not fulfill the inclusion requirements and were deleted, leaving 4 articles in the final analysis. Additional research on self-testing among college students in the U.S. is urgently required. The results should guide university health policies on the need to cater to the unique requirements of college students by increasing the availability of healthcare and embracing STD/STI/HIV self-testing. This can enhance testing rates, diminish stigmas, and ultimately contribute to wider endeavors to reduce the transmission of infections in the U.S.

Reaction of Expectation of Success and Failure Attribution among Indian College Adults

The present study is an attempt to investigate reactions to Expected Success followed by Success/Failure feedback (ESS/ESF) in the hypothetical setting. Investigated the effects of personality variable, namely, self-esteem, a cognitive variable, namely, confirmation (actual success, when success was expected) and disconfirmation of expected success, (actual failure, when success was expected), as well as the sequence of these two events, on attribution of Success/Failure along with a social variable, namely, working in an individual or group setting, on reactions to success/ failure. 129 participants were employed through random sampling. The main dependent variables were (a) Subsequent choice of Individual setting/ Group setting, and (b) Attribution of Success/Failure. Subjects, classified into High / Low on Self-esteem (SE), initially expected success working with Group or Individual condition followed by success / failure. They were then asked to make attributions for their unexpected/expected success/failure, and choose an individual and group condition for the next trial. Findings indicated that after individual/ESF and group/ESS, HSE preferred to remain in the same condition. In contrast LSE preferred both conditions equally likely. There were significant differences between Success and Failure conditions with respect to the Attribution dimensions. This line of results supported the cognitive explanation of attribution.

Age differences of responders' decision-making in disadvantageous and advantageous inequality contexts in the ultimatum game: The role of social value orientation

The Ultimatum Game (UG) is a classic paradigm used to study fairness-related decision-making. While responders' rejection of disadvantageous inequality in the UG is known, responses to advantageous inequality and the role of social value orientation (SVO) remain unclear. This study involved 59 children of 6–8 years, 69 children of 10–12 years, 59 adolescents of 14–15 years, and 52 adult college students. It explored responders' decisions in three offer contexts, including disadvantageous inequality, equality, and especially advantageous inequality, and the role of SVO. Results showed that SVO shifted from pro-self to pro-social and back to pro-self with age. Offer contexts moderated the effect of age on rejection rates, notably advantageous inequality, reflecting age differences in social preferences. Children accepted such offers for self-interest, adolescents rejected for inequality aversion, and college students accepted for joint gain maximization. SVO mediated the effect of age on rejection rate only in advantageous inequality contexts. The results indicate diverse motivation and decisions across scenarios, tied to age and SVO. Pro-social orientation's significance in advantageous inequality aversion is highlighted. Overall, these findings suggest that responder traits and developmental stages jointly shape economic decisions, especially regarding advantageous inequality.