Campus Connectedness Research Articles

Development and Evaluation of a Strengths-Focused Peer-Led Support Program for Young University Mothers

The increasing enrollment of student parents, particularly mothers, in higher education highlights the crucial need for timely support. Compared to their non-parent peers, student mothers are more likely to encounter financial, logistical, and social barriers. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of a strengths-focused, peer-led support program for young university mothers (YUM). YUM adapted an evidence-based life skills program previously designed for adolescent mothers. Seventeen mothers ( Mage = 24.59; SDage = 4.65) participated in the 7-week YUM program, and 17 mothers ( Mage = 24.12; SDage = 3.10) were in the control group. Following the intervention, YUM participants demonstrated significant decreases in stress and depression, significant increases in career and academic exploration, and satisfaction with social support compared to the control group. YUM participants also reported an increased sense of campus connectedness over time, although the change was not significantly different between the two groups. In their parenting self-efficacy, the two groups demonstrated no significant differences in the change over time. The qualitative findings from exit interviews indicated high levels of satisfaction and engagement among all YUM participants, suggesting that the program was well received and feasible. YUM participants saw the group as an emotional safe haven and appreciated the peer-led structure. Despite facing multiple challenges as college-going mothers, they expressed a desire for continued skill application and ongoing support on college campuses. The study’s strengths, limitations, and implications for pedagogical and counseling practices as well as for future research are further discussed.

Does the HyFlex Learning Environment Affect Student Likelihood to Whistle-Blow on Academic Dishonesty?

The reality of possible disruptions in daily life such as the COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated increased adoptions of flexible hybrid learning, namely the HyFlex modality. With greater use of online or hybrid learning, concerns about academic dishonesty are more prevalent. Despite the empirical evidence that shows that whistleblowing reduces academic dishonesty, accounting education empirical literature on whistleblowing has mostly focused on traditional classroom modalities. This paper administered a survey to 232 students in HyFlex accounting classes and provides empirical evidence that HyFlex learning environment’s characteristics of engagement and campus connectedness are positively linked to whistleblowing likelihood, whereas HyFlex students who prefer in-person attendance are less likely to whistle-blow. Open-ended questions analyzing ways to increase whistleblowing revealed that students who feel engaged in HyFlex classes are more likely motivated to report on misconduct when they are incentivized and provided protected anonymity.

A mixed-methods examination of an on-campus canine-assisted intervention by gender: Women, men, and gender-diverse individuals’ self-reports of stress-reduction and well-being

Abstract On-campus canine-assisted interventions (CAIs) provide opportunities for college students to interact with therapy dog-handler teams and are considered a low-cost and low-barrier way for students to reduce their stress and bolster their well-being. Across studies, we see participant samples comprised predominantly of women participants. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a 20-min CAI on the well-being of women ( n = 80), men ( n = 54), and gender-diverse ( n = 28; i.e., non-binary, genderfluid, and two-spirit) participants. Across all gender conditions, significant pre-to-post increases in well-being (i.e., campus connectedness, happiness, positive affect, or optimism) and decreases in ill-being (i.e., homesickness, loneliness, negative affect, anxiety, or stress) were found. Controlling for pre-test scores, there was no significant effect of gender on any of the well-being or ill-being. Findings corroborate previous research attesting to the efficacy of CAIs in enhancing the social and emotional well-being of students and suggest that CAIs are equally effective across participants of varied genders.

Impostor phenomenon, self-compassion, and campus connectedness in Black female undergraduates

Aim: This study explored the relationship between impostor phenomenon (IP), campus connectedness, self-compassion, and mental health among Black female undergraduate students attending an HBCU. Methods: Participants completed study measures via an online survey platform. Results: Linear regression analyses identified statistically significant relationships between campus connectedness, self-compassion, feelings of IP, and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that both self-compassion and campus connectedness explained statistically significant variance in mental health after controlling for the influence of IP on students’ anxiety and depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Implications of this finding suggest student support services could develop and utilize programs that educate students about self-compassion interventions in order to decrease IP, which is directly linked with depression and anxiety.

Sexual and Gender Minority College Student Retention: The Unique Effects of Mental Health and Campus Environment on the Potential for Dropout

Background: While limited data has been collected, some findings show that sexual and gender minority (SGM) students are at higher risk for dropping out of college than their peers. Research on issues such as campus connectedness and mental health among this population indicates both may affect retention. Aim: This study examined how mental health and perceptions of campus connectedness may mediate the relationship between SGM identification and intentions to drop out of college. Methods: Survey data collected from 1,793 randomly selected students across eight different public universities in Mississippi were used to conduct a parallel mediation analysis. Results: Mediation analyses indicated that there was a significant direct effect of SGM identity on intentions to drop out, and that both mediators had a significant indirect effect. Psychiatric symptoms had a relatively larger indirect effect than campus connectedness. Conclusions: These results contribute to the limited quantitative literature on SGM student retention, supporting previous work indicating these students are at higher risk of attrition. The results suggest that student retention may be bolstered if access to SGM-competent mental health services is provided. Additionally, campuses should continue to support SGM-friendly policies and create inclusive spaces as a protective resource for students.

Moderators of suicide ideation in Asian international students studying in Australia

ABSTRACT Objective Stressful life events have been identified as risk factors for suicidal ideation in students. However, little research has explored the extent to which such events constitute a risk for suicidal ideation in Asian international students living in Australia. Even fewer studies have explored variables that moderate the relationship between stressful life events and suicidal ideation in this cohort. Methods One hundred and thirty-eight such students were asked to complete a battery of online questionnaires measuring experiences of stressful life events, loneliness, campus connectedness, coping strategies and suicidal ideation. Results Regression analyses indicated that the relationship between stress and suicidal ideation was moderated by lower levels of loneliness, higher levels of campus connectedness and problem-focused coping. Conclusions These findings emphasise factors to be addressed in suicide prevention for Asian international students studying in Australia.

An Examination of Factors Predicting College Connectedness During a National Pandemic

The feeling of connectedness with others in society reduces suicide, improves well-being, and enhances effective learning (Jones et al., 2022; Jorgenson et al., 2018). This study examined possible variables contributing to campus connectedness (CC) among students and if such connectedness decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesized that emotional stability, self-efficacy for initiating conversation, extraversion, and participation in an honor society would positively predict CC. We also expected CC scores to decrease due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To test these hypotheses, we distributed an online questionnaire to Orange Coast College students as part of the 2021-22 Psi Beta National Research Project. Measures included Campus Connectedness, Interpersonal Communication Efficacy Scales, and the Ten Item Personality Inventory (TIPI). The project received 1,412 useful responses from community college students nationwide. First, a comparison of CC scores from the current questionnaire and a pre-pandemic study found a decrease in CC. Next, multiple regression analysis indicated that all hypothesized variables, except extraversion, were significant predictors for CC, collectively accounting for approximately 15% of CC variability. Further regression analyses revealed that self-efficacy for initiating conversation significantly mediated the relationship between extraversion and CC. Lastly, participation in an honor society significantly increased CC. Based on our findings, colleges may want to find ways to increase campus connectedness by helping students increase their confidence in initiating conversation and encouraging them to participate in honor societies or other campus organizations.

The Relationship Between Academic Encouragement and Academic Self-Efficacy: A Moderated Mediation Model.

To explore the influence mechanism and boundary conditions of academic encouragement on college students’ academic self-efficacy, this study did a questionnaire survey and used the four scales, namely, Academic Encouragement Scale (AES), Course Subscale of the College Self-Efficacy Inventory (CCSI), Adult Hope Scale (AHS), and Campus Connectedness Scale (CCS). The questionnaires were distributed both online and offline. A total of 355 questionnaires were distributed, with 267 valid returns. Among them, 139 were women (52.1%) and 128 were men (47.9%), and the age range is 18–24 years old. As for the grade level, 123 were first-year college students (46.1%), 58 were second-year college students (21.7%), and 86 were third-year college students (32.2%). The results of this study showed the following. (1) Campus connectedness or hope mediated the relations between (challenge-focused or potential-focused) encouragement and academic self-efficacy. (2) Academic engagement could not moderate the above mediation models.

Virtual Canine Comfort: A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effects of a Canine-Assisted Intervention Supporting Undergraduate Wellbeing

ABSTRACT Being a university student is known to be a stressful experience, and researchers across studies have reported elevated stress and compromised mental health for university students when compared with findings from the general population. The unexpected disruption to their studies arising from COVID-19 and its corresponding social isolation added to the stress experienced by students. This study assessed the effects of a virtual canine-assisted intervention to support student stress reduction and wellbeing. Participants (n = 467) were recruited from undergraduate psychology classes at a mid-size Western Canadian university and were randomly assigned to either synchronous (i.e., live Zoom) or asynchronous (i.e., pre-recorded YouTube videos) sessions with or without a dog present. An abbreviated, small group dose intervention of five minutes was used and handlers across conditions followed a script that mirrored as closely as possible the dialogue shared during a typical live, in-person visit (i.e., shared information about their dog, asked participants to reflect on their wellbeing, etc.). Measures of wellbeing included 1-item measures of connectedness to campus, loneliness, and stress, the PANAS, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Circumplex Model of Affect, and self-ratings of engagement during the intervention. Results of paired samples t-tests revealed that participants, regardless of condition, reported significant reductions in anxiety, stress, loneliness, and negative affect and more positive emotional states and stronger feelings of connectedness to their campus. Regarding the impact of platform delivery, participants reported greater campus connectedness following their participation in the synchronous conditions; however, type of platform was not associated with other aspects of wellbeing as noted above. As hypothesized, undergraduate students in this study did report feeling less stressed at the end of the intervention when a dog was present. The implications of the findings are discussed within the context of university student wellbeing.

Academic burnout, resilience level, and campus connectedness among undergraduate students during the Covid-19 pandemic: Evidence from Singapore

This study sets out to examine the level of academic burnout, resilience, and campus connectedness among undergraduates in Singapore. The data were collected from a total of 125 full-time undergraduates (75.6% response rate, 38% females, 62% males) from a public university in Singapore. The instruments used to measure academic burnout, resilience level, and campus connectedness are the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS), the Academic Resilience Scale (ARS-30), and the Campus Connectedness Scale (CCS), respectively. The findings show that respondents on the whole had a moderate level of academic burnout, a high level of academic resilience, and campus connectedness. Female students reported a higher level of burnout, a marginally lower resilience level, and a higher level of campus connectedness than their male counterparts though there was no significant difference between the two groups. In addition, the findings indicate that there was no significant difference between the number of years enrolled in the university and the level of academic burnout, resilience level, and campus connectedness level. Further, the findings of this study show that academic burnout was negatively associated with resilience level and campus connectedness, and the resilience level was positively associated with campus connectedness. These findings provide direction for the university to redesign the assessment structure to support a blended learning environment and provide additional support to students facing academic burnout and undue stress from the pandemic.

Motivation, Belonging, and Support: Examining Persistence in Counseling Programs

The rising racially and ethnically minoritized population in the U.S. challenges counselor educators to train racially and ethnically diverse counselors; therefore, there is a need to better understand the factors that affect persistence and retention of diverse students in counseling programs. The researchers examined the role of motivation (Academic Motivation Scale), sense of belonging (Campus Connectedness Scale), and social support (Student Academic Support Scale) on the persistence (3-item persistence measure) of 396 master’s level counseling students, including investigating differences between White and minoritized students. Pearson’s correlations results revealed intention to persist was positively correlated with motivation (r(394) = .44, p < .01), belonging (r(394) = .39, p < .01), and social support (r(394) = .01, p < .05) and ANOVA results showed no significant differences were found between White and minoritized students. Counselor educators can improve student experiences by implementing strategies to create a diverse and inclusive community.

Campus Connectedness and Its Relationship to Stress, Anxiety and Depression among Nepalese Undergraduate Nursing Students

Background: Campus connectedness is a kind of social connectedness that determines the students’ perception of their belonging to the other populace of the campus that includes students, teachers, administrators, and other staff. Campus connectedness plays a significant role in determining stress, anxiety, and depression among students. The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship of campus connectedness to stress, anxiety, and depression among nursing students. Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among 680 undergraduate nursing students from nine nursing colleges affiliated with a university in Kathmandu Valley. Data were collected from June 1, 2018, through July 10, 2018. Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale and Campus Connectedness Scale were used to collect data. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23. A one-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) test was used to examine the relationship of campus connectedness to stress, anxiety, and depression. Discriminant analysis was done as a follow-up procedure to MANOVA. Results: Students had moderate to extremely severe levels of depression (51.7%), anxiety (72.9%) and stress (47%). High campus connectedness score was observed (M = 62.42; SD = 9.79). Statistically significant differences were found among the levels of campus connectedness on the outcome variables, Wilks’ lambda (λ) = 0.90, F(3, 676) = 24.56, p < 0.001. Depression demonstrated the strongest relationship with the discriminant function. Conclusions: There was a significant relationship of campus connectedness to stress, anxiety, and depression. Despite the high level of campus connectedness, students had moderate to severe levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. The campus adminstration must take measures and efforts to provide conducive environment and counseling services for the wellbeing of their students.

The impact of values congruity on underrepresented minority (URM) graduate student psychosocial functioning

ABSTRACT There is growing awareness of a mental health ‘crisis’ among graduate students [Evans, T. M., Bira, L., Gastelum, J. B., Weiss, L. T., & Vanderford, N. L. (2018). Evidence for a mental health crisis in graduate education. Nature Biotechnology, 36(3), 282–284. doi:10.1038/nbt.4089]. Despite a paucity of research exploring potential differences in psychological distress across ethnic and racial groups, there is at least some evidence that students who identify as African American/Black, Hispanic/Latinx, American Indian/Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders, underrepresented minority students (URM), report more depressive symptoms [e.g., Harvard Chan Mental Health Student Alliance. (2017). Mental wellness of students at Harvard Chan. Retrieved from https://cdn1.sph.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/1745/2017/05/MHSA-Needs-Assessment-Report-2017.pdf] and a lower sense of belongingness in graduate school [e.g., Clark, C. R., Mercer, S. H., Zeigler-Hill, V., & Dufrene, B. A. (2012). Barriers to the success of ethnic minority students in school psychology graduate programs. School Psychology Review, 41(2), 176–192. doi:10.1080/02796015.2012.12087519] compared to their racial and ethnic majority peers. We explored whether URM students’ opportunities to engage in doctoral work consistent with intrinsic, altruistic or extrinsic career values, and congruity between values importance and affordances would contribute to psychosocial well-being, belongingness, and program satisfaction. URM doctoral students (n = 436) completed an anonymous online survey including the Values Congruity Questionnaire (VC), Campus Connectedness Scale (CCS), and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-21). Opportunities to engage in doctoral work consistent with altruistic, intrinsic, and extrinsic values were associated with lower depression and a higher sense of belongingness. Incongruity between the importance of altruistic values and perceived affordances was associated with higher depression and a lower sense of program belongingness and satisfaction. Although URM psychological functioning is determined by multiple factors, providing values consistent opportunities within graduate programs could increase belongingness, program satisfaction and psychosocial wellness.

College students’ feelings of campus connectedness, party safety behavior and intervening to prevent sexual assault and intimate partner violence.

College students’ feelings of campus connectedness, party safety behavior and intervening to prevent sexual assault and intimate partner violence.

Values, acceptance, and belongingess in graduate school: Perspectives from underrepresented minority students

BackgroundAlthough the enrollment rate of students who come from racial and ethnic backgrounds traditionally underrepresented (URM) in higher education settings is steadily increasing in United States graduate programs, URM students are still considerably underrepresented. Systemic racial and ethnic discrimination, microaggressions, and low belongingness may negatively impact psychological functioning and interfere with academic success. Objective: This study explored the relationship between racial and ethnic stressors, belongingness, acceptance, and valued living on the psychological functioning of URM graduate students. Method: Participants (N = 436) were URM students pursuing their doctoral degree in the United States who completed the Schedule of Racist Events, Racial and Ethnic Microaggressions Scale, Campus Connectedness Scale, Valued Living Questionnaire, Philadelphia Mindfulness Scale, and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales. Results: Racial and ethnic microaggressions and stressors were positively associated with psychological distress and belongingness was negatively associated with psychological distress (r's = .21-0.33). However, three hierarchical regression analyses demonstrated that both acceptance of internal experiences and values-based living predicted psychological functioning (depression, anxiety, and stress) over and above the negative effects of racial and ethnic stressors and low perceived belongingness. Conclusions: Although systemic changes are needed to address the inequities that URM graduate students face, helping students to cultivate an accepting stance and live consistently with personal values could buffer against the effects of these stressors on psychological functioning.

“We need to stick together for survival”: Black college students’ racial identity, same-ethnic friendships, and campus connectedness.

“We need to stick together for survival”: Black college students’ racial identity, same-ethnic friendships, and campus connectedness.

I Believe in You! Measuring the experience of encouragement using the academic encouragement scale

ABSTRACTTo address limitations in conceptualizing and measuring encouragement, the authors developed the Academic Encouragement Scale (AES) to assess the experience of receiving challenge-focused encouragement (directed toward people facing difficult situations) and potential-focused encouragement (helping people realize a potential) within an academic context. Results from 714 college students supported a two-factor structure, corresponding to challenge-focused and potential-focused encouragement. Evidence for the reliability and construct validity of AES scores was provided. The two AES subscales uniquely and positively predicted hope and academic self-efficacy. Challenge-focused encouragement, but not potential-focused encouragement, uniquely and positively predicted campus connectedness. Campus connectedness, but not hope, mediated the relationship between challenge-focused encouragement and academic self-efficacy. In contrast, hope, but not campus connectedness, mediated the association between potential-focused encouragement and academic self-efficacy. Collectively, these findings underscore the distinction between challenge-focused and potential-focused encouragement, as well as the utility of the AES in providing a conceptually complex understanding of encouragement.

First-Generation College Students’ Perceived Barriers and Career Outcome Expectations: Exploring Contextual and Cognitive Factors

The current study explores contextual factors that contribute to the linkage between perceived barriers and career outcome expectations of first-generation college students (FGCS). The authors tested how FGCS’ sense of coherence, social support from family, peers, and a special person, as well as their sense of campus connectedness mediate or moderate the effect of perceived educational and career barriers on their vocational outcome expectations. Participants were 153 ethnically diverse FGCS attending public universities. Moderation analysis indicated that campus connectedness was a significant moderator—for FGCS who experience low or average level of campus connectedness, higher levels of barriers are associated with more negative career outcome expectations. Mediation analysis supported that the relationship between perceived barriers and career outcome expectations was mediated by sense of coherence. None of the other social support variables were statistically significant as a moderator. Implications for future research and program development are discussed.

The Effects of Mattering and Combat Deployment on Student Service Members/Veterans’ College Adjustment: A Psychosociocultural Approach

This study examined college adjustment for 157 student service members/veterans’ (SSM/V) college adjustment using a psychosociocultural framework to explore psychological (stress), social (connection and university mattering), and cultural (view of self) dimensions. A series of mediation analyses revealed that mattering fully mediated the relationships of social and campus connectedness and negative view of self with college adjustment, respectively. Mattering also partially-mediated the relationship of positive view of self and college adjustment. Although those SSM/V who had been deployed to a combat zone held more negative views of self and reported decreased social connectedness than those who had not, deployment to a combat zone did not moderate the relationships of connection (social and campus) and view of self (positive and negative) with college adjustment. The study’s findings direct student service personnel to provide emic support and programming to support SSM/Vs’ educational experiences and college adjustment.

Examining the Psychosocial and Academic Factors Predicting Depression and Anxiety Symptomology Across First-Year and Later-Year University Students

University students across the world report higher levels of mental health problems compared to the general population. Past research has focused on investigating mental health problems among first-year university students. However, a paucity of existing research compares the prevalence of mental health problems in first-year university students to students in later year-levels. To address this gap, the current study compared the level of depression and anxiety symptomology experienced by university students (n = 198) from Australia and the United States, across first, second, third, and fourth-year levels. The results found no significant differences in the level of depression and anxiety symptomology between university students from these countries, and no significant differences in the level of depression symptoms across year-levels. However, university students in the secondyear level reported significantly higher levels of anxiety symptoms compared to first, third, and fourth-year levels. The current study assessed the role of stress appraisal, psychosocial, and coping factors as predictors of depression and anxiety symptoms across all year-levels of university students. Hierarchical multiple regressions indicated higher levels of perceived stress and lower levels of perceived social support from family significantly predicted higher levels of depression symptoms. Higher levels of perceived stress and academic avoidance coping, and lower levels of campus connectedness significantly predicted higher levels of anxiety symptoms. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.