The relationships of belonging and task socialization to GPA and intentions to re-enroll as a function of race/ethnicity and first-generation college student status.

Abstract

We examined longitudinal changes in new college students' perceptions of belonging and task mastery socialization effectiveness and their relationships to re-enrollment intentions and subsequent GPAs as a function of race/ethnicity and first-generation status. Incoming students completed socialization effectiveness measures before orientation (N = 2,320), after orientation (N = 1,867), and during a first-semester student success course (N = 324). The results from the sample of 302 students who completed the course indicated that students, especially students of color, experienced greater task mastery versus belonging as the semester progressed. Students who perceived greater belonging (but not task mastery) had stronger intentions to re-enroll; this was especially true among Latinx (vs. non-Latinx) students of color, White (vs. students of color), first-generation students, and students of color (vs. White) continuing-generation students. In contrast, students who perceived greater task mastery (but not belonging) had higher GPAs and this was more true of Latinx (vs. non-Latinx) students of color. These findings support the use of a brief measure to assess socialization effectiveness and suggest that early belonging and task mastery interventions might be effective for improving retention and performance, respectively. They also suggest that more targeted interventions may be needed to improve underrepresented group members' perceptions of belonging.

Longitudinal associations between well-being and academic achievement throughout the COVID-19 pandemic: Testing the moderating role of academic stress among first-generation and continuing college students.

“…Academic disparities suggest that academic stressors and disruptions have a broader impact on overall grade point average (GPA) and increased dropout rates (Grubic et al, 2020; Stevens et al, 2018). Despite the plethora of resources dedicated to decreasing academic disruptions (Tasso et al, 2021) and increasing higher education persistence (Cadenas et al, 2022), academic achievement (Ives & Castillo-Montoya, 2020), and overall higher GPA (Latino et al, 2020), first-generation college students and students from racial–ethnic minoritized backgrounds continue to experience high rates of stress (House et al, 2020), uncertainty (Gist-Mackey et al, 2018), and less sense of belonging (Gillen-O’Neel, 2021; House et al, 2020), which impacts their GPA and overall academic achievement (Gehringer et al, 2022; Mello et al, 2012). Additionally, academic disparities have worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic (Reuge et al, 2021; Soria et al, 2022), disproportionately placing first-generation college students and students from racial and ethnic minoritized backgrounds vulnerable to worsened academic achievement (Lederer et al, 2021).…”

An interpretative phenomenological analysis of first-generation college students' involvement experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Akin to Gehringer et al's (2021) findings, pre-college transition programs focused on relationship development were beneficial to the student's social transition while increasing their positive outlook on their campus experience and sense of belonging. In line with previous firstgeneration student involvement research, engagement experiences offered participants an awareness of resources they could utilize when in need of support (Garriott & Nisle, 2017;Stebleton et al, 2014).…”

“…However, involvement experiences that focus on relationship building increases first-generation college students' desire to become more involved on campus (Means & Pyne, 2017;Ricks & Warren, 2020;. During the precollege transition, an especially important moment in the experience of first-generation college students, relationship development increases a sense of belonging and confidence toward academic success (Gehringer et al, 2021). These relationships expand awareness of additional cocurricular involvement experiences and increase the understanding of resources on campus (Garriott & Nisle, 2017;Stebleton et al, 2014).…”

“…First-generation college students have noted that summer bridge programs, orientation, and first-year seminar programs as the most beneficial transition involvement experiences (Conefrey, 2021;Demetriou et al, 2017;Peabody, 2013). These experiences are most successful in supporting first-generation college students when they address community-specific needs (Gehringer et al, 2021). For example, while orientation has a focus on welcoming new community members and reviewing resources (Downey et al, 2021) when involvement at orientation addressed understanding first-generation needs, students reported and increased sense of belonging (Gehringer et al, 2021;Jones & Schreier, 2021), a better understanding of resources (Camela & Elliott, 2019;Davis, 2010), and higher levels of academic confidence (Engle, 2007) First-generation college students report greater gains in academic performance and degree completion through participation in high-impact, signature events created by student affairs (Kulp et al, 2021).…”

“…These experiences are most successful in supporting first-generation college students when they address community-specific needs (Gehringer et al, 2021). For example, while orientation has a focus on welcoming new community members and reviewing resources (Downey et al, 2021) when involvement at orientation addressed understanding first-generation needs, students reported and increased sense of belonging (Gehringer et al, 2021;Jones & Schreier, 2021), a better understanding of resources (Camela & Elliott, 2019;Davis, 2010), and higher levels of academic confidence (Engle, 2007) First-generation college students report greater gains in academic performance and degree completion through participation in high-impact, signature events created by student affairs (Kulp et al, 2021). While all high-impact programs are meant to achieve this outcome (Kuh, 2008), first-generation college students report significant benefits due to their structured design and ability to develop relationships in college (Conefrey, 2021;Kulp et al, 2021).…”