Compared College Students Research Articles

Comparing College Students’ Capacities for Resiliency Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Using data from the 2018 (n = 54,601) and 2021 (n = 35,283) Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership survey, this study compared measures of college students’ resilience before and one year into the COVID-19 pandemic among both the entire undergraduate student samples and among demographic groups (i.e., gender, race, sexual orientation, disability, and first-generation status). Findings revealed a statistically significant decrease in reported resilience from 2018 to 2021 and consistent significant decreases across nearly every demographic group. Results highlight the importance of individual and environmental factors when attending to influences on college students’ resilience.

Chronotypes and well-being, comparing college students with ultraorthodox (Jewish) Yeshiva students in Israel

Chronotypes and well-being, comparing college students with ultraorthodox (Jewish) Yeshiva students in Israel

Changes in Mental Health Symptoms as a Predictor of Cannabis Coping Motives and Consequences: Examining the Impact of COVID-19 Among College Students.

Cannabis use is common among college students and many students use cannabis to cope with negative affect. The COVID-19 pandemic was a particularly stressful time for college students. Subsequently, the present study compared college students who reported increases in anxiety/depression symptoms since COVID-19 stay at home orders to those who reported no change in anxiety/depression symptoms on cannabis coping motives, use frequency, and negative consequences. Specifically, we examined whether self-reported changes (i.e., group that indicated increases) in poor mental health during COVID-19 were associated with problematic cannabis use via higher cannabis coping motives. College students (analytic n = 291) completed an online survey for research credit regarding their personal mental health, COVID-19 stressors, and cannabis use behaviors. Individuals who reported increased depressive symptoms (57.4% of the current sample) due to COVID-19 (as compared to individuals whose depressive symptoms remained the same) reported significantly higher cannabis coping motives (d = .79) as well as more cannabis consequences (d = .37). Further, students who reported increased (61.5% of the current sample) anxiety symptoms (as compared to those whose anxiety symptoms stayed the same) also reported significantly higher cannabis coping motives (d = .47). Moreover, we found that students who reported an increase in depressive/anxiety symptoms reported more cannabis consequences via higher endorsement of cannabis coping motives while controlling for gender, cannabis use frequency, and past-week anxiety/depressive symptoms. Providing resources for substance-free coping strategies to manage the mental health impact of COVID-19 may be extremely useful for this population.

Comparing College Students’ Motivation Trajectories Before and During COVID-19: A Self-Determination Theory Approach

College students’ retrospective reports commonly indicate motivational declines associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Using Self-Determination Theory, the present study provided a more nuanced examination of the pandemic’s motivational effect by measuring actual change in six distinct types of motivation. We compared motivation trajectories from the first to the fourth year of college for two cohorts of students, with the fourth-year measurement taken prior to the pandemic in one cohort (n = 206) but during the pandemic in the other (n = 270). Compared to the pre-pandemic cohort, the COVID cohort showed sharper declines in identified and intrinsic motivation but no differences in controlled motivation or amotivation. Motivational declines associated with the COVID-19 pandemic appeared to be both real and specific to autonomous motives.

The impact of COVID-19 on college students' physical activity: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background:We aimed to conduct a meta-analysis to assess the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on college students’ physical activity.Methods:All cohort studies comparing college students undertaking physical exercise at school before the COVID-19 pandemic and physical exercise at home during the COVID-19 pandemic will be included in this review. We will use index words related to college students, physical exercise, and COVID-19 to perform literature searches in the PubMed, Medline, Embase, and CNKI databases, to include articles indexed as of June 20, 2021, in English and Chinese. Two reviewers will independently select trials for inclusion, assess trial quality, and extract information for each trial. The primary outcomes are exercise frequency, duration, intensity, and associated factors. Based on the Cochrane assessment tool, we will evaluate the risk of bias of the included studies. Revman 5.3 (the Cochrane collaboration, Oxford, UK) will be used for heterogeneity assessment, data synthesis, subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, and funnel plot generation.Result:We will discuss the impact of COVID-19 on college students’ physical activity.Conclusion:Stronger evidence about the impact of COVID-19 on college students’ physical activity will be provided to better guide teaching practice.Systematic review registration:PROSPERO CRD42021262390.

How essentialist beliefs about national groups differ by cultural origin and study abroad experience among Chinese and American college students

Nationality constitutes a salient part of social categorization. However, little research has examined how people form nationality concepts and how it may be shaped by culture and experience. The current study aims to investigate essentialist beliefs about nationality in participants from two cultural origins: the United States and China. In both samples, we compared college students studying domestically and internationally (N = 290) by using direct and indirect measures of essentialism. Ratings from direct measures of essentialism revealed that American participants were more likely than Chinese participants to perceive national groups as natural, whereas Chinese participants were more likely than American participants to perceive national groups as cohesive. Interestingly, the observed differences between domestic and international students on the indirect measure showed opposite directions among participants of different cultures of origin. As hypothesized, American international students showed lower essentialist thinking than American domestic students. Surprisingly, Chinese international students showed stronger essentialist thinking than Chinese domestic students. Further analyses revealed a positive relationship between the length of arrival time and essentialist thinking by Chinese international students. The current research demonstrates the cognitive malleability of social essentialism, addressing the importance of examining the effect of intergroup processes under diverse and dynamic cultural contexts.

Using Artificial Intelligence to Explore Employment Discrimination and Interview Decision

By comparing college students and enterprise recruiters about the influence of employment discrimination on the interview decision-making bias, we help college students to understand which factors have a greater impact on the interview decision-making, so as to better enhance their competitiveness in the interview process. For enterprise recruiters, through this research, we can understand the current enterprise recruitment which involves employment discrimination behavior for future selection. In addition, we can also judge the ability of talents more objectively.

Negative Career Thoughts Among Pakistani and Korean College Students: Implications for the Asian Context

This study aimed at investigating the integrative cross-cultural perspective of negative career thoughts by comparing college students’ data from Pakistan and Korea. Data obtained from 200 Pakistani college students were compared to the data obtained from 200 Korean college students. Results show a significantly higher score on negative career thoughts when compared to Korean students. Findings indicate cross-cultural differences in negative career thoughts reflective of context-based differences in policy and career guidance systems. Findings provide support to Systems Theory Framework. However, the similarities in the construct manifestation provide a theoretical basis for career guidance in the collectivist and Asian contexts. Findings suggest the importance of comparative data, indigenization of assessment tool to assess negative career thoughts, and further exploration of negative career thoughts while considering cultural dimensions.

Flip It or Click It: Equivalent Learning of Vocabulary From Paper, Laptop, and Smartphone Flashcards

Students frequently utilize digital devices and applications to assist studying. Past research has yielded mixed results on their effectiveness, and scant research has compared portable technologies with each other or focused on smartphones specifically. We compared college students’ learning of vocabulary on paper, laptop, and smartphone. Students were randomly assigned to one platform for reviewing vocabulary flashcards, and then they completed a memory quiz and answered questions regarding perceptions of these technologies. Results showed equivalency in students’ learning across platforms, with the only exception being that students spent longer reviewing paper flashcards. Self-reported cognitive load and satisfaction were equal across platforms. Quantitative and qualitative data also suggested that, though students quickly label both laptops and smartphones as helpful for education, they see more educational value in laptops. This research suggests that smartphones present new ways of learning, but care must be taken with how smartphones are utilized in educational settings.

Reading from print, laptop computer, and e-reader: Differences and similarities for college students’ learning

Digital and print readings differ in their affordances. Past research supports a print advantage, but few studies have used within-subjects approaches or compared handheld devices and multiple reading genres. We compared college students’ reading of several excerpts on paper, a laptop, and an e-reader. Students read on all platforms, completed comprehension tasks, and answered questions on their perceptions and preferences. Results indicated that students’ learning experience with print was superior, with the laptop a close second. In contrast, students’ learning from and perceptions of the e-reader were lower. There was no interaction with reading genre. This research suggests that students’ preference for print remains strong. When digital materials are used, e-readers appear to be a less viable option for academics relative to laptops.

Gender, LGB status, and attitudes toward traditional wedding practices

ABSTRACT Historically, traditional wedding customs reflected marital values and gender power dynamics. Though preference for egalitarian partnerships and marriages is growing, patriarchal and heteronormative wedding traditions remain popular. This study aims to understand the dissonance between marriage values and wedding traditions by comparing college students’ ideals and intended practices regarding traditional heterosexual wedding customs, such as the bride being given away by the father and taking the groom’s last name. Based on a survey of 291 college students in the southeastern U.S., we find that students, particularly straight women, generally have more egalitarian ideals than intended practices. LGB individuals have a weaker preference for wedding traditions as ideals and as intended practices. While those who think marriage should always be egalitarian are less likely to support certain traditions, they are no different from their less egalitarian counterparts in ideals or preferences about the proposal, suggesting this tradition may be particularly engrained in social expectations regarding weddings.

Reading from print, computer, and tablet: Equivalent learning in the digital age

We compared college students’ learning from, and perceptions of, print and digital readings, with the goal of providing an informed recommendation for students and educators regarding best approaches for reading assignments. To add to the literature, we focused on a common experience in college – reading an educational article – in addition to investigating numerous dependent measures and taking a mixed methods approach overall. Undergraduate students read an article in print or digitally on a computer or tablet. Students then completed a comprehension quiz with the article accessible or not, and answered self-report questions regarding cognitive load, perceived control, satisfaction, confidence, knowledge gain, and general preferences for paper versus digital educational resources. Results indicated that students spent equivalent time with, and learned equally well from, all versions. Perceptions of their learning experiences were also strikingly similar. Students generally described a preference for print over digital resources, but the number of students utilizing digital resources outside of the study was notable. This research supports that print and digital readings are equally viable options for students to use while reading, and that digital materials may be becoming more commonplace in college students’ studying.

College Students’ Multitasking Behavior in Online Versus Face-to-Face Courses

This study compared college students’ multitasking in online courses with their multitasking in face-to-face courses and explored the significance of potential predictors of multitasking in each setting. Students taking both online and face-to-face courses completed surveys assessing multitasking in each setting, self-efficacy for self-regulated learning (SE:SRL), Internet addiction, multitasking tendency, age, and sex. Multitasking was significantly greater in online than face-to-face courses. Internet addiction was positively associated with multitasking in online and face-to-face courses. Multitasking tendency was positively and age was negatively associated with multitasking during online courses only; SE:SRL was negatively associated with multitasking during face-to-face courses only. In conclusion, multitasking was greatest during online courses. Furthermore, there were different sets of predictors for students’ multitasking in online courses compared with face-to-face courses. This implies that multitasking in online and face-to-face courses are different phenomena and therefore may require different pedagogical methods to successfully minimize multitasking behaviors.

A Comparative Analysis of Three Screening Methods for Nonsuicidal Self‐Injury in College Students

This study compared college students’ (N = 260) responses on a simple dichotomous screening measure and 2 behavior checklists. Seventy‐nine participants (30.4%) screened positive (i.e., endorsed nonsuicidal self‐injury [NSSI] behavior) on at least 1 measure, and 37 (46.8%) screened positive on the simple screen. Participants who screened positive on the simple screen reported more forms and instances of NSSI than did those who screened positive only on the checklist measures. They also reported significantly greater psychological distress compared with all other participant groups.

Trauma, Meaning Making, and Loneliness in College Students

ABSTRACTThe present study (N = 621) explored relationships between meaning making (i.e., meaning presence and meaning search) and loneliness in college students who have experienced trauma. In addition, the study examined group differences in meaning variables and loneliness, comparing college students who have and have not experienced trauma. The results suggest that loneliness and meaning search are more present in college students who have experienced trauma. Further, meaning presence and meaning search both predict experiences of loneliness within this sample.

Factors Influencing Risk Perceptions of Nuclear Technology - A Pilot Study of Comparing College Students in the U.S. and South Korea

Factors Influencing Risk Perceptions of Nuclear Technology - A Pilot Study of Comparing College Students in the U.S. and South Korea

Subjective evaluations of alcohol-related consequences among college students: Experience with consequences matters

ABSTRACTObjective: Research suggests college students rate some alcohol-related consequences less negatively than others, yet it is unclear how or when these differences in perception develop. The current study compared college students' subjective evaluations of alcohol-related consequences that they had and had not experienced in order to test the hypothesis that students become desensitized to the consequences they experience. Participants: Participants were 269 undergraduate students enrolled at a large, public, Midwestern university. Methods: Participants completed measures of drinking behaviors, consequences experienced, and subjective evaluations of consequences via an online survey. Results: Participants rated the consequences they had personally experienced more positively than those they had not experienced. Similarly, individuals who reported experiencing consequences rated them as significantly more positive than those who had not experienced the same consequences. Conclusions: Experience with consequences is associated with more positive evaluations of those consequences. Therefore, it may be important to consider individuals' experiences with, and evaluations of, alcohol-related consequences in college student drinking interventions.

Social factors, alcohol expectancy, and drinking behavior: A comparison of two college campuses

ABSTRACTBackground: Though college students have high rates of heavy drinking, few studies have examined the various pathways through which risks affect drinking and whether this varies by institution. We examined whether alcohol expectancy mediates the relationship between social factors (i.e., hooking up, friends drinking, Greek affiliation, entitlement) and drinking behavior comparing college students from one Midwestern and one Southeastern university. Methods: In the 2013–14 academic year, 1,482 college students (51% female) enrolled in undergraduate courses at two public universities completed a paper and pencil survey of attitudes and experiences about dating, sexuality, and substance use. Multiple group path analysis was used to compare two institutions. Results: Drinking behavior was positively associated with hooking up more often, Greek affiliation, being male, having close friends who consume more alcohol, and greater alcohol expectancies. We found unique differences in the mediating pathways for the two campuses. Conclusion: This study provides a more nuanced understanding of risk factors for heavy drinking. Moreover, it adds to the scarce body of literature concerning entitlement and drinking and the unique pathways between two college campuses. Finally, the results could lead to the development of more specific intervention strategies to reduce risky drinking among U.S. college students.

Mental disorders among college students in the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys.

Although mental disorders are significant predictors of educational attainment throughout the entire educational career, most research on mental disorders among students has focused on the primary and secondary school years. The World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys were used to examine the associations of mental disorders with college entry and attrition by comparing college students (n = 1572) and non-students in the same age range (18-22 years; n = 4178), including non-students who recently left college without graduating (n = 702) based on surveys in 21 countries (four low/lower-middle income, five upper-middle-income, one lower-middle or upper-middle at the times of two different surveys, and 11 high income). Lifetime and 12-month prevalence and age-of-onset of DSM-IV anxiety, mood, behavioral and substance disorders were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). One-fifth (20.3%) of college students had 12-month DSM-IV/CIDI disorders; 83.1% of these cases had pre-matriculation onsets. Disorders with pre-matriculation onsets were more important than those with post-matriculation onsets in predicting subsequent college attrition, with substance disorders and, among women, major depression the most important such disorders. Only 16.4% of students with 12-month disorders received any 12-month healthcare treatment for their mental disorders. Mental disorders are common among college students, have onsets that mostly occur prior to college entry, in the case of pre-matriculation disorders are associated with college attrition, and are typically untreated. Detection and effective treatment of these disorders early in the college career might reduce attrition and improve educational and psychosocial functioning.

Performance and affects in group problem-solving

This experimental study compared college students’ performance (individual vs. group) in a virtual game of bridge building for a train passage. We tested the superiority of group performance and power activation of affective states in the quality of task performance and conflict perception. The study (N = 114) evaluated performance in groups (n = 60) and individuals (n = 54) by two criteria: an overall score (score and advancement in the game stages) and the problem-solving process. In both conditions, before and after the game, conflict perception was low, with positive affective states predominating. Groups performed better and reported greater use of problem-solving stages. There was no evidence of affective states as a mediator between experimental condition and the variables performance and conflict perception.