Date of Award

5-2023

Document Type

Open Access Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

School Psychology

First Advisor

TImothy Poynton

Second Advisor

Sharon Horne

Third Advisor

Victoria Ameral

Abstract

Alcohol use is widespread among college students. Previous studies have shown that stress and mental health conditions are common risk factors for college student alcohol use, while social support and self-efficacy have demonstrated a protective effect against college student alcohol use. Research has also demonstrated that alcohol use can have a significant negative impact on college students’ academic outcomes, including their GPAs and graduation rates. It appears that alcohol use may be particularly detrimental to the academic success of students from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, such as first-generation college students and racial/ethnic minority students. Due to limited research and mixed findings, the impacts of alcohol use on first-generation college students’ academic outcomes are not well understood. Using the framework of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), this study v aimed to more clearly determine the prevalence, risk and protective factors, and impact of alcohol use on academic outcomes based on college-going generation, race/ethnicity, and gender. Results indicated that race/ethnicity was the only significant predictor of alcohol use: racial/ethnic minority students reported significantly lower alcohol use than White students. Retention differed significantly by race/ethnicity: fewer racial/ethnic minority students were retained than White students. Fourth-year GPA differed significantly based on the interaction of college-going generation and gender: continuing-generation female students had significantly higher fourth-year GPAs than continuing-generation male students, first- generation female students, and first-generation male students. It is hoped that findings from the current study will inform future policies and practices aimed at improving the mental health and academic success of first-generation and racial/ethnic minority students. Findings also highlight the need for further investigation of how different contextual barriers and supports influence college students’ alcohol use, mental health, and academic success.

Comments

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