The transition to university can be challenging not only for the general student population but also for LGBTQ+ students, whose social experiences may be particularly demanding. In the current research, we explore first-year students' perceptions of belonging and social adjustment by (a) estimating whether such perceptions relate to achievement motivation, well-being, and academic performance, and (b) identifying whether these trends differ for LGBTQ+ students.First-year students from one public university in New Zealand (n = 896) completed a questionnaire to report their early experiences in higher education. Grade Point Average (GPA) was provided by the institution. Results using descriptive statistics and regression-based, moderation models offer empirical support that belongingness and social adjustment have the potential to impact first-year students in meaningful ways, and that some of these patterns vary between LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ students. Individuals who reported institutional belonging and felt as though they had adjusted well to university also reported high levels of achievement motivation and well-being. Meanwhile, individuals who reported peer belonging were linked to weaker achievement motivation yet a higher GPA. Our results introduce new evidence that although LGBTQ+ students reported relatively poorer well-being, they experienced relatively more enjoyment and less boredom in their classes. Interactions from moderation testing reveal that the statistical predictions of belongingness and social adjustment for academic self-efficacy and subjective well-being differed between LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ students. We discuss the practical implications of our results and identify ways for higher educational institutions to support first-year students.
The Adolescent Stress Questionnaire (ASQ) is a 56-item scale measuring stress in 10 domains. The scale has been tested in a number of countries worldwide with mixed support. The current study tested the factor structure, construct validity, and reliability in a sample (n = 1,601) comprising a general population of adolescents in New Zealand. Support was found for the 10-factor structure with adequate internal consistency as well as strong factorial invariance between male and female participants. Significant inverse correlations were found between all ASQ domains and both life satisfaction and perceived academic achievement. Most ASQ domains revealed gender differences, with female participants reporting greater stress than males. Toward a nonbinary perspective of gender, gender-neutral participants reported greater stress than males and females in certain stress domains. Results based on regression analyses indicate that nonacademic ASQ domains were generally related to life satisfaction whereas academic ASQ domains were related to perceived academic achievement. Positive and negative interaction effects were observed between gender and ASQ domains on life satisfaction and academic achievement. Overall, the current results indicate that the ASQ appears to be a reliable, valid instrument for adolescent stress in New Zealand with relevance to perceived life satisfaction and achievement.
This mixed‐method, longitudinal study examined daily school stress and coping strategies of elementary schoolchildren in the United States. Students (n = 65) between the ages of 7 and 11 years reported daily school stress measures for 8 weeks and completed individual stress and coping interviews. Results highlight critical relations between students’ exposure to daily stress at school, their stress appraisals and future expectations, and usage of coping strategies. Students reported limited preparedness in their ability to cope with daily stress in socially appropriate, effective ways; their accounts may have valuable implications for academic success and personal well‐being. Recommendations for educational practice and future research are discussed.
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