Undergraduate University Research Articles

Critical thinking about health and treatments in the United States: a cross-sectional assessment of parents and undergraduate college students

BackgroundThere is an urgent need to study and increase the public’s ability to think critically about health and treatments. Unfortunately, we do not currently have a clear, in-depth understanding of critical thinking about health in the United States, especially its rates among parents and college students, two particularly important groups. This study assessed and characterized critical thinking about health with U. S. parents and college students. We also explored whether critical thinking about health varied as a function of sociodemographic determinants.MethodsParents (N = 142) and college students (N = 145) in the U. S. completed an online test of critical thinking about health, and answered questions about their background.ResultsBoth parents and college students in the U. S. struggled to think critically about health and treatments based on various science literacy and evidence-based practice principles. Parents with higher educational attainment had lower critical thinking about health, and college students who reported a liberal political affiliation had higher critical thinking scores.ConclusionsThis investigation demonstrates a need to increase critical thinking about health among U. S. parents and college students so they can be empowered to make informed health choices.

The Role of Information Processing as an Underlying Mechanism in the Experience of Anxiety Reactivity and Anxiety Perseveration, Two Dissociable Dimensions of Trait Anxiety

Abstract Purpose While long considered a unitary dimension, research has moved towards a multidimensional understanding of trait anxiety, and has identified two dissociable dimensions of trait anxiety: anxiety reactivity and anxiety perseveration. Despite the consolidation of this understanding over the past decade, the mechanisms underlying these two dimensions are not well established. The present study examined the novel role of information processing in the experience of anxiety reactivity and perseveration, specifically, how enhanced processing of situational information influences reactivity, and how enhanced processing of implicational information influences perseveration. Method Undergraduate university students (N = 142) were exposed to an interview-based stressor. As participants approached this stressor, they were provided with information reflecting one of the two content categories, intended to encourage a situational or implicational processing mode. Anxiety reactivity and anxiety perseveration were measured by assessing changes in state anxiety (measured using a single item visual analogue state anxiety measure) in the lead up and wake of this stressor. Results Mixed-design ANOVAs did not reveal a significant relationship between enhanced processing of situational information and anxiety reactivity, nor between enhanced processing of implicational information and anxiety perseveration. An experimental manipulation involving valence revealed that receiving positive information reduced the intensity of state anxiety elevations in the aftermath of the information processing task. Conclusions Findings are discussed with reference to limitations and future extensions that could investigate the potential role of cognitive biases in this proposed relationship between enhanced information processing and anxiety reactivity and perseveration.

“I feel like grad school is a pretty big decision”: exploring vocational anticipatory socialization through messages about pursuing graduate education

ABSTRACT This study explores college student vocational anticipatory socialization (VAS) into graduate education. Public university undergraduates (N = 99) quantitatively indicated their plans to attend graduate school and the likelihood of seeking information from six VAS sources. They provided comments on influential sources, messages received, and expectations. Across different intentions to attend graduate school, results suggest that students seek information from varied sources for different reasons, sources communicate that graduate degrees increase career opportunities, and students have underdeveloped expectations about graduate degrees’ value. School personnel are most sought-after, followed by peers, internet, and relatives. Part-time jobs/internships and traditional media are not influential. Our results add to VAS research in three ways. First, the findings provide new insight into why students seek specific sources of information, highlighting the importance of source characteristics. Second, students combine VAS sources to gain diverse perspectives and reduce uncertainty. Third, most students think graduate education will optimize professional fulfillment, with a small minority who believe graduate degrees are not required for their careers. Both types of expectations are vague, speculative, and uncertain. This points to a new VAS problem – information inadequacy – consisting of messages that lack specificity and/or accuracy. We offer recommendations for improving graduate enrollment and socialization.

Use of multimodal glosses in teaching English vocabulary for non-English specialised undergraduates in public university in Nepal

Knowledge of vocabulary is an essential aspect of language development. Most of the non-English specialised students feel hesitation in communicating in English due to limited vocabulary. Effective vocabulary teaching and learning can be aided by multimodal glosses. In this rationale, this mixed methods participatory action research is intended to investigate the effect of multimodal glosses in improving the English vocabulary of non-English specilised EFL students in a public university in Nepal. The study was conducted in a three-month intervention experiment for an intact class of 60 non-English specilised undergraduates. The data were collected from tests (pre-test, progress-test, and post-test), and interviews. The data were analysed using quantitative statistics (mean, standard deviation, and T-test), and the data from the unstructured interview were analysed descriptively. The overall results revealed that the use of multimodal glosses led to significant improvements in students’ English vocabulary and its use. The findings suggest that the study’s intervention, the use of multimodal glosses, was effective in improving non-English specialised undergraduates’ ability to develop, comprehend, and use English vocabulary. Thus, students and teachers are to be aware of using multimodal glosses contextually to increase, understand, and adopt English vocabulary appropriately.

Causal Factors of Aesthetic Education Evaluation for Public Undergraduate Universities in Sichuan Province

Objectives: This study investigates the causal factors influencing aesthetic education evaluation in public undergraduate universities in Sichuan Province, aiming to identify the key determinants and their interrelationships. Theoretical Framework: The study integrates multi-dimensional evaluation methodologies, management theories, leadership models, teacher performance theories, and student development principles to construct a comprehensive and systematic approach to aesthetic education evaluation in universities. Method: This study administered a survey to a sample of 478 educational administrators and teachers. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM), a robust statistical technique for examining the interrelationships among identified variables and their collective impact on aesthetic education evaluation. Results and Discussion: The findings indicate that academic administration, leadership styles, teacher quality, and student development have significant positive impacts on aesthetic education evaluation. Academic administration acts as a mediating variable, connecting leadership styles, teacher quality, and student development with aesthetic education evaluation. These results emphasize the critical importance of integrating these factors to enhance the effectiveness and outcomes of aesthetic education evaluation. Research Implications: The study proposes practical strategies for optimizing aesthetic education evaluation, including improving teachers’ aesthetic competencies, fostering students’ developmental potential, and strengthening academic administration. These recommendations contribute to the holistic advancement of aesthetic education in higher education institutions. Originality/Value: This research offers a novel perspective on the structural relationships influencing aesthetic education evaluation, providing new insights to support the development and refinement of aesthetic education practices.

Randle Cycle in Practice: a student exercise to teach glucose- and fatty acid metabolism in fasted, fed and exercised states.

Here we describe an approach and overall concept on how to train undergraduate university students to understand basic regulation and integration of glucose and fatty acid metabolism in response to fasting, intake of carbohydrates and aerobic exercise. During lectures and both theoretical and practical sessions, the students read, analyse, and discuss the fundamentals of Randle cycle. They focus on how metabolism is regulated in adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and liver at a molecular level under various metabolic conditions. Subsequently, students perform one of four different trials: 1) overnight fast followed by ingestion of jelly sandwiches and lemonade ad libitum; 2) overnight fast followed by ingestion of a chocolate bar and a soda; 3) overnight fast followed by ingestion of carrots and 4) light fast and aerobic exercise for 2 hours, while monitoring glucose- and fatty acid levels. The data from these trials clearly show that glucose levels are kept constant around 5 mM while fatty acid levels raise to 300-700 mM, after an overnight fast. Upon carbohydrate intake, glucose levels increase whereas fatty acid levels are reduced. In response to aerobic exercise, the glucose level is kept constant at 5 mM, while fatty acids levels increase over time. Collectively, the data clearly recapitulates the essence of Randle cycle. The exercise shows the great pedagogical value of experiments within practical courses to help students gain knowledge of energy metabolism and regulation of biochemical pathways. In an active learning environment, students successfully tackled physiological assignments, enhancing constructive communication and collaboration among peers.

Bridging the health information gap among undergraduate university students: The role of academic libraries.

Although university students are young and seem generally healthy, they do have health information needs that affect their academic work. Some university healthcare services and academic libraries collaborated during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide health information to students. The study explored the health information gap among undergraduate students in universities in Ghana. The study involved 382 students from the University of Cape Coast, the University of Ghana, and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, including nine librarians and six university health professionals. Respondents for the study were chosen using stratified sampling and purposeful sampling techniques. A questionnaire and a semi-structured interview guide were used to collect the data. The study revealed limited access to health information for undergraduate students. Male and female students had similar high priorities (personal hygiene, disease prevention, healthy living, mental health) but reproductive health information was mostly a priority for female students. Inadequate access to health information among undergraduate students may pose a threat to avoidable health risks and academic productivity. Based on the findings, a functional Collaborative Health Information Model for Academic Libraries and University Healthcare Systems is proposed to address undergraduate students' health information needs.

Tired of being tired: Black college students' experiences of racial battle fatigue from highly publicized anti-Black violence.

The highly publicized murders of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Ahmaud Arbery in 2020 sparked public outrage and widespread discussion around anti-Black violence. While some studies have examined the effects of anti-Black violence exposure on mental health outcomes, there is a paucity of research that explores how these racially charged events contribute to cumulative stress and "weathering" for Black people, particularly. Informed by racial battle fatigue theory, this in-depth qualitative study explored the lived experiences of 30 Black male and female undergraduate college students (aged 18-28) exposed to highly publicized acts of anti-Black violence. Thematic analysis revealed four predominant themes: (a) witnessing an endless cycle of anti-Black violence, (b) experiencing cumulative and prolonged psychosocial effects, (c) grieving while Black, and (d) navigating the tension between activism and burnout. Findings expose the cyclical and inescapable nature of anti-Black violence, including the toll of these events on the lives of Black college students. Research, practice, and policy implications underscore the need for culturally relevant interventions to support resilience among Black people in the aftermath of anti-Black violence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

The Fitness, Rest, and Exercise for Strength and Health (FRESH) Study: A Three-Year Comparison of College Students' Perceived and Measured Health Metrics.

The undergraduate college years are a critical transition period for young adults in establishing life-long health behaviors. Background/Objective: Within the FRESH Study, we aimed to understand the relationship between perceived physical health, perceived mental health, and specific health metrics (e.g., physical activity, food insecurity, sleep quality) among college students following the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: First-year undergraduate students (n = 271) from an urban university were recruited in three study waves (2021-2022, 2022-2023, and 2023-2024). Participants answered online surveys on demographics, health perceptions, physical activity, dietary patterns, beverage consumption, food insecurity, stress, and sleep quality. Results: Overall, participants rated their physical health better than their mental health ('good', 'very good', or 'excellent'; 89.6% vs. 62.2%), even though 30.7% were not of 'healthy weight' status, 34.5% did not meet physical activity recommendations, and 42.2% of students consumed some sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). Students reporting suboptimal ('fair' or 'poor') physical and mental health were more likely to report food insecurity (p < 0.001, p = 0.010), poor sleep quality (p = 0.012, p < 0.001), and elevated stress (p = 0.001, p < 0.001). In addition, fast-food consumption (p < 0.001), breakfast consumption (p = 0.031), and food insecurity (p = 0.004) showed changes over three years. Conclusions: These findings call for targeted wellness initiatives addressing nutrition, food insecurity, stress management, sleep improvement, and physical activity among students and in university health programs. The FRESH Study emphasizes the need for continued longitudinal research to track health behaviors and inform future interventions.

Use of evidence-based health professions education: Attitudes and practices of academic leaders.

The objective of this study was to explore the attitudes, practices, supports, and barriers of academic leaders regarding the use of Evidence-Based Health Professional Education (EBHPE). A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 79 faculty members in leadership positions, from four different undergraduate colleges at Qassim University. A pre-validated questionnaire was distributed electronically. The e-questionnaire was comprised of 38 questions regarding participants' demographics, attitudes, practices, and perceived barriers/supports towards EBHPE. Data was analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive statistics were calculated for demographic characteristics and responses to survey items. The frequency distribution of the subjects was analyzed, and the median and means were calculated. Kruskall-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for comparison of the means between the demographic groups. Spearman correlation was utilized to determine any relationships between the questionnaire's three sections. Of the 79 participants, 24 were Department Heads and 48 were female. The mean±SD values for Attitude, Practices and Support/Barriers were found to be 3.47±0.40, 2.72±0.84 and 3.34±0.43, respectively. The mean value of Attitude Score was > 3.41, therefore, it was interpreted that respondents had positive attitude towards EBHPE. Conversely, the values for Practices and Support/Barriers were interpreted as neutral (range = 2.61-3.40), neither good nor bad. The correlation coefficients between 'attitudes' and 'supports and barriers' (0.388) and 'practices' and 'supports and barriers' (0.388) indicated the weak association between these factors. The Cronbach's α value for questionnaire was found to be 0.887 indicating its reliability. This study concludes that the respondents had positive attitude towards EBHPE. However, this positive attitude was not reflected in their practices. Healthcare professionals should be committed to educational excellence, and endeavour to rely on evidence-based literature regarding the planning and review of learning, teaching, and assessment strategies.

Entrepreneurial intention among undergraduates of business private universities in Yangon, Myanmar

Entrepreneurial intention among undergraduates of business private universities in Yangon, Myanmar

Research on Employability Enhancing Strategies for Students in Ordinary Undergraduate Colleges and Universities

Research on Employability Enhancing Strategies for Students in Ordinary Undergraduate Colleges and Universities

Research on the Reform and Practice of Teaching the “Linear Algebra” Course in Local Application-Oriented Undergraduate Colleges

Research on the Reform and Practice of Teaching the “Linear Algebra” Course in Local Application-Oriented Undergraduate Colleges

Bicultural identity integration, depressive symptoms, and emotional eating among Asian and Latino undergraduate students in the U.S.

College students increasingly identify as bicultural. Bicultural identity integration (BII), the extent to which an individual can effectively manage their various cultural identities, has been associated with mental health, including depressive symptoms. However, few studies have examined the association between BII and eating behaviors among racial/ethnic minority students, even though these students are at high risk for disordered eating behaviors. The primary goals of the present study were to examine the association between BII and emotional eating, and whether depressive symptoms represent an indirect pathway in the association. Asian and Latino undergraduate college students in the U.S. (N=497; age range: 18-46years, M=20.81) completed online standardized questionnaires assessing demographics, BII, depressive symptoms, and emotional eating. Higher scores on BII harmony, not blendedness, were associated with fewer depressive symptoms (r=- 0.16, p<.001) and less emotional eating (r=- 0.13, p<.001). Moreover, depressive symptoms were the indirect pathway between BII harmony and emotional eating (b=- 0.15, p=.003, 95%CI boot [- 0.25, - 0.05]), but not between BII blendedness and emotional eating (b=- 0.04, p=.42, 95%CI boot [- 0.15, 0.06]). The results can help inform counseling services about the need to address cultural harmony to promote healthy eating behaviors, mental health, and well-being among bicultural undergraduate students.

Influence of Aquafina’s Social Media Advertisements on the Buying Behaviour of Lead City University Undergraduates

Social media serves as a relatively inexpensive platform for organisations to implement advertising and marketing campaigns. With the advent of the Internet and the development of Web 2.0, there is a palpable shift in the control of communication and of course, advertising. The study examined the influence of influence of Aquafina social media advert on Lead City undergraduates buying behaviour. The theory of reasoned action and elaboration likelihood model provided the theoretical framework for the study. Descriptive survey research design was adopted, and 388 respondents were randomly selected to form the sample. A self-structured questionnaire was used to gather the data. The collected data were presented and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results obtained revealed that majority of respondents were minimally exposed to Aquafina contents on their social media timelines. The study revealed that majority of respondents purchased Aquafina products because of their perceived quality, highlighting the importance of product quality in driving purchasing decisions… Findings further revealed that majority of respondent do not find Aquafina’s social media adverts appealing and engaging, indicating a lack of effectiveness in capturing audience attention. It was further revealed tha majority of respondents believed that the price of the product do not influence their decision to buy Aquafina, indicating that price sensitivity is a significant factor affecting purchasing decisions. The study concluded that social media platforms play a pivotal role in shaping consumer engagement and brand perception. Findings revealed that most respondents purchased Aquafina independently of external factors, while many chose it for its quality. The study recommends that Aquafina should increase the frequency and targeting precision of its social media advertisements to ensure wider and more consistent reach across all user segments.

Prevalence of Tempromandibular Joint Disorders among Egyptian University Undergraduate Students: A Cross Sectional Study

Prevalence of Tempromandibular Joint Disorders among Egyptian University Undergraduate Students: A Cross Sectional Study

Prevalence and risk implications of Hepatitis B and C Viruses in a University community in Lagos, Nigeria

Objectives: This study determined the prevalence and risk implication of HBV and HCV in an asymptomatic university student group in Lagos, Nigeria. Methods: A total of 90 students (38 males and 52 females) aged 16-25 years were enrolled in this study. Hepatitis B surface Antigen (HBsAg) and Hepatitis C Virus Antibodies (Anti-HCV) were detected using an ELISA microplate spectrophotometer at 450nm absorbance. Data on medical and socio-demographic information was obtained using pretested structured self-administered questionnaires. Results: The overall seroprevalence for HBsAg and Anti-HCV was 2.2% respectively. Hepatitis B surface antigen was tested in 2 (5.3%) males only. Anti-HCV antibody was detected in both males and females with a prevalence of 1 (2.63%) and 1 (1.92%) respectively; with a male-to-female ratio of 1: 1. The age 19-21 years had HBsAg with a prevalence of 4.26%. The age group 16- 18 years and 19-21 years had an Anti-HCV prevalence of 3.57% and 2.12% respectively. Sexual intercourse, intravenous drug use, tattoos and body piercings were found to be associated (p &lt; 0.05) with HBsAg and anti-HCV. Conclusions: The prevalence of HBV and HCV among undergraduate university students in Lagos was 2.2% respectively. HBsAg and anti-HCV were detected among an asymptomatic group of students aged 16 -21 years with associated risk factors. This group must be considered as a high-risk group for viral hepatitis infection intervention.

Learning Style of Undergraduate University Students with Anxiety

Learning Style of Undergraduate University Students with Anxiety

Perceived Stress and Coping Strategies among Undergraduate Students in Lagos, Nigeria.

Introduction: The observed emotional distress among students of higher institutions was documented to be a common public health occurrence. The potential long-term negative implications on the academic and physical and mental health could lead to maladaptive behaviours that can make students to become unproductive in the university. This study aimed at evaluating the degrees of perceived stress and adopted coping strategies among undergraduate university students in Lagos, Nigeria. Methodology: The study was a descriptive and cross-sectional one that was carried out among one hundred and forty-five students of the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria. The Perceived Stress Scale and Brief Cope Scale were administered to the respondents. The collected data was analysed using SPSS version 21.0. Descriptive and analytical statistics were presented as frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations. The Chi-square test determined associations and significant associations at P &lt; 0.05. Results: The findings of the perceived stress scale showed that majority of participants experienced a mild to moderate stress level. The Brief COPE revealed that the problem-focused coping, active coping, positive reframing, and planning were predominantly used by the students. Regarding emotion-focused coping, religion and acceptance were predominantly used while self-distraction, denial and behaviour disengagement were the avoidance coping strategies used the students. Conclusions: This study demonstrated a high level of perceived stress among the surveyed undergraduate students. The results highlighted the need to carry out stress management and emotional resilience workshops for undergraduate students that will further help to strengthen the coping skills of students in the university environment.

Study on the Transformation of Young Volunteers from Applied Undergraduate Colleges to Social Entrepreneurs in Zhejiang Province

Study on the Transformation of Young Volunteers from Applied Undergraduate Colleges to Social Entrepreneurs in Zhejiang Province