Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2015, Educational Leadership

One in six students at American four-year universities is a first-generation student. First-generation students, defined in this study as those whose parents did not attend a four-year university, encounter unique tensions as they navigate the disparate worlds of home and school. This constructivist narrative study of first-generation student experiences explores the success stories of eight diverse first-generation seniors at Miami University – a selective, four-year, residential institution in Oxford, Ohio. The study resists a deficient perspective on first-generation students, instead telling the stories of participants who have successfully navigated tension between the worlds of home and school, and accomplished their goal of graduating from college. Though nearly all research in this area focuses on first-generation students' transitions to college, this study found that tension between home and school persisted throughout participants' college experiences. This persistent tension is identified and described in three non-linear realms: tension of transition, tension of identity, and tension of success. The study describes how participants experienced a temporal dimension of tension between their past and future worlds within these realms, and identifies participants' commitment to a college future as a powerful source of motivation for persistence amidst home/school tension. Implications for practice underscore the importance of validation for first-generation students from campus peers, faculty, and staff; the value of safe space for building authentic connections with others in their college world; and the responsibility of four-year institutions to transform institutional culture in order to provide such validation and support for first-generation students as they negotiate tension between the worlds of home and school. Particular implications for practice include targeted outreach for first-generation students in the areas of pre-semes (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Elisa Abes (Committee Chair); Kathleen Goodman (Committee Member); David Perez II (Committee Member); John Jeep (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Leadership; Families and Family Life; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration

Bachelor of Arts, Wittenberg University, 2022, Psychology

The current study analyzed how the developmental components of emerging adulthood in first-year college students are related to medication adherence/nonadherence. It was hypothesized that the newly discovered autonomy during the transition to college would encourage an exploration in identity and provide an opportunity for the “reinvention” of the self that might impact medication taking. Participants were 124 undergraduate first-year students enrolled at a small university in the Midwest. Participants completed an online survey that asked about their medication habits and the potential barriers to their medication adherence. Participants then answered questions regarding their perceived self-esteem, autonomy, identity, and stigma. The results showed that the most common barriers for medication adherence in first-year students were “feeling better” and “forgetfulness.” Additionally, the results revealed that the first-year students who were currently taking mental health medications (MH) demonstrated higher levels of agreement with feelings of perceived stigma and lower levels of agreement with feelings of autonomy and perceived self-esteem than the students taking physical health (PH) medications or no medication (p < .05). These results highlight the importance of how transitional developmental components may have an impact on medication adherence in first-year college students.

Committee: Mary Jo Zembar (Advisor); Katie Warber (Committee Member); Stephanie Little (Committee Member) Subjects: Health; Health Care; Health Sciences; Mental Health; Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2014, Higher Education Administration

A student's first year of college study is marked by the transition of leaving a familiar routine of academic, social, and family commitments. Upon arrival at college, a student can learn how to negotiate personal responsibility for intellectual and community development during the first year. New college students are primed for such immense intellectual, intrapersonal, and interpersonal development, and it may include consideration of religious practice and spiritual values, their meaning and relevance, and determination of religious habits and spiritual identity. This study explored the experiences of spiritual conversion among first-year college students, and how the college environment may contribute to such experiences. Religious and spiritual conversion experiences may reflect a creation, diminishment, strengthening, or transformation of a student's spiritual identity, and this exploratory study sought to include any of these forms of conversion and the factors that challenge and encourage them. By studying the nature of these experiences in the postsecondary environment, educators may learn more about how the experience of college can affect students before, during, and beyond conversion experiences. Students were invited to share their stories to illustrate how their spiritual lives were created, diminished, strengthened, or transformed during their first college year. They shared insights into the related challenges and opportunities encountered through feelings of loneliness, community inclusion and exclusion, academic achievements in the midst of personal turmoil, and environmental influences that may have shaped their journeys. The findings of this inquiry suggested the need for additional opportunities for training for personnel in higher education and student affairs to be more attentive to and better able to support students who are searching spiritually and who may experience a spiritual conversion during the first year of college. The (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Dafina-Lazarus Stewart Ph.D. (Advisor); Kenneth W. Borland, Jr. D.Ed. (Committee Member); Dara R. Musher-Eizenman Ph.D. (Committee Member); Maureen E. Wilson Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Higher Education; Higher Education Administration; Spirituality

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2004, Human Development and Family Science

Although increased involvement of family members with their adolescents on college campuses is frequently noted, little is known about this apparently changing pattern of interaction observed in today's families. Concerns have been voiced about whether these patterns interfere with the developmental tasks faced by the college students. This study was designed to investigate the expectations family members have for involvement with their first year college students to provide insight into current trends observed in families and to better understand the departure for college from the family's point of view. In addition, the study investigated whether Parental Separation Anxiety was predictive of family members' expectations. The research questions asked were: 1) What are family members' expectations for involvement with their first year college students, 2) Do family members' expectations for involvement change between high school and college and is parental separation anxiety related to this change, and 3) Does gender of family member and gender of student make a difference? An instrument was developed to assess family members' involvement in high school and expectations for involvement in college. Parental separation anxiety was measured using The Parents of Adolescents Separation Anxiety Scale (PASAS; Hock, Eberly, Bartle-Haring, Ellwanger, & Wideman, 2001) which provides two subscales, Anxiety about Distancing (AAD) and Comfort with Secure Base Role (CSBR). Hierarchical regressions were used to predict family members' expectations for frequency of meaningful conversations in college and influence over their college students. The study found that mothers and fathers expect to have more frequent meaningful conversations with their students in college than in high school. Mothers and fathers expect to have less influence over their students in college than in high school. The findings suggest that although the interaction patterns between today's first year college s (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Suzanne Bartle-Haring (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), University of Findlay, 2023, Education

The use of therapy dogs and animal-assisted activities are an effective alternative to the high costs and demands of traditional counseling in colleges to reach more students (Castellano, 2015). This alternative approach can help first-year college students combat loneliness and form community connections. This study assessed the impact of therapy dog interactions through animal-assisted activities on loneliness and connections made among first-year students. A mixed methodology was employed, combining surveys (UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3) and qualitative data from interviews and observations with eleven participants. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test (N=11) indicated a significant difference (p=.00338) in pre and post-study scores on the UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3, suggesting a potential decrease in loneliness (mean difference of 17.91). Participant interviews and observations further supported the positive impact of therapy dog interactions in fostering community connections. This study supports the presence of therapy dogs on college campuses as an effective alternative to traditional counseling, helping first-year students combat loneliness, make friends, and feel a sense of belonging. Universities are encouraged to provide accessible therapy dog teams to support first-year students.

Committee: Christine Denecker (Committee Chair); Chris Moser (Committee Member); Kara Parker (Committee Member) Subjects: Animals; Higher Education; Mental Health; Psychology; Therapy

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.), Xavier University, 2023, Psychology

Unrealistic optimism is associated with more risky behaviors, less health-promoting behaviors, and greater belief in one's invulnerability (Dillard et al., 2009; Spendelow & Jose, 2010; Weinstein, 1980). Currently, there is limited information regarding college students' assessment of their mental health risk and the mental health implications of unrealistic optimism. The present study sought to expand the literature and explore if college students' group status (i.e., unrealistic optimists, realists, and unrealistic pessimists) as it related to their risk of depression and anxiety at the beginning of the first semester of college (T1) would be associated with psychological well-being and health related behaviors at the end of the first semester of college (T2), while controlling for social desirability. A minimum of 152 participants needed to be retained from T1 to T2; however, only 104 were retained. As a result, primary analyses examined the cross-sectional data from 187 participants at T1 instead. Results indicate that this particular cohort of first year students had high social desirability despite the anonymity of the surveys. Furthermore, this cohort also unexpectedly had more unrealistic pessimists than those in previous unrealistic optimism research studies. Lastly, results indicate that unrealistic optimists had worse mental health outcomes than realists and unrealistic pessimists. Despite limitations, this research filled a number of gaps in the unrealistic optimism literature and has implications for applied research that could examine the benefits of identifying students' optimism status. Furthermore, this study offered interesting insights about optimism group statuses that can inform future experimental studies, as well as popular perception.

Committee: Jennifer E. Gibson Ph.D. (Advisor); Nicholas Salsman Ph.D., ABPP (Committee Member); Jennifer E. Phillips Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

Master of Arts (MA), Ohio University, 2022, Sociology (Arts and Sciences)

This thesis explores the correlation between the COVID-19 pandemic and the mental health of first-year college students at a public university with a focus on self-reported mental health, specifically symptoms associated with depression and anxiety. The aim of this study is to address the effect of COVID-19 on first-year students and gain an understanding of specific COVID-related concerns. Qualitative analysis relies on data from 12 semi-structured interviews with first-year students, which were analyzed through focused coding, resulting in the creation of five main codes: (1) mental health, (2) transitioning to adulthood, (3) missing opportunities, (4) missing connections, and (5) participant resilience. Health anxiety as well as isolation and a sense of burnout were the top contributors to worsening mental health symptoms according to interviewees. Other top contributors reported by interviewees were the delayed transition to college, increased time with family, adjusting to newfound independence, not staying on campus, online schooling, missing important milestones, and a lack of social connectedness. Despite these struggles, interviewees described several positives such as a strengthened bond with their family, development of healthy coping mechanisms, and time for introspection. This implicates the potential for deterioration of mental health in other first-year students and the need for more research on this population.

Committee: Charlie Morgan (Advisor); Holly Ningard (Committee Member); Paula Miller-Buckner (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Sociology; Higher Education; Mental Health; Social Research; Sociology

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Leadership Studies, Xavier University, 2020, Leadership Studies and Human Resource Development

The College Credit Plus (CCP) program, adopted and implemented by the state of Ohio in the 2015-2016 school year, presents some unique opportunities for examining the impact of accelerated college credit on preparing students for success in college. This study attempts to examine three of these unique features to examine the relationship that the CCP program might have on its participants' success in college, measured by first year GPA upon matriculation at a university. Correlational analysis was first applied to examine any relationships that might exist among the dependent and independent variables. The number of credit hours a student completed through CCP demonstrated a positive significant relationship with first year GPA, while the type of course work (General Education and Career Pathway) demonstrated a positive significant relationship but no significance was found between the two types of courses according to a Fisher's Z-Test. The researcher wanted to examine the number of years spent taking CCP courses to see if the amount of exposure of time to these types of courses demonstrated any relationship, but the data could not be determined to examine that relationship.

Committee: Gail F. Latta Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Dave Tobergte Ed.D. (Committee Member); Shirley Curtis Ed.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Education Policy; Higher Education; Secondary Education; Vocational Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2017, Educational Policy and Leadership

No standard measure for college and career readiness currently exists but a common goal for college readiness could potentially improve the rate of college completion. Towards the development of a common goal for college readiness, it should be noted that the workplace and colleges increasingly desire the skills of intercultural competence (ICC). Although it is not part of most notions of college readiness, behavioral research, employer demands, and many colleges have already identified intercultural competence as a skill that is in high demand; however, to date there is a lack of research that examines whether first-year college students perceive cultural competence as relevant to college and workplace readiness. The purpose of this mixed methods, explanatory, social justice, study was to investigate first-year college students' perceptions of intercultural competence as a factor for college readiness and to understand the influences they perceived as having contributed to their development of intercultural competence. This mixed methods study involved 67 first-year college students attending either a community college or a traditional 4-year university in a large, Midwestern U.S. city. For the first part of the study, I used the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) (Hammer, 2012) to assess and then compare college students' levels of intercultural competence. Subsequently, data from the surveys were used to recruit eight participants for semi-structured interviews to explore students' perceptions of intercultural competence as a factor relevant to college and workplace readiness. Through the interviews, I also sought to gain an understanding of the factors participants perceived as having influenced their development of ICC. I used open coding, memo writing, and constant comparative analysis methods to generate themes from the eight individual semi-structured interviews (Charmaz, 2014; Strauss & Corbin, 1994). Significant findings from the quantitati (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Anika Anthony (Advisor); Noelle Arnold (Committee Member); Susan Jones (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Education Policy

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2014, Higher Education Administration

The purpose of this case study was to understand the organizational, psychological, sociological, and financial experiences of high-achieving students who departed within their first year of study from Bowling Green State University. Although the literature suggests high-achieving students have special educational needs that must be recognized, supported, and nurtured in primary and secondary education, little is known about the experiences of high-achieving students in college. The goal of this qualitative research study was to gain a deeper understanding and explanation of student behavior within this student-institution context. Participants in this study were selected from the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 cohorts, based upon the following criterion: the student intended to graduate from BGSU, departed with the dean's list designation, was enrolled in at least 12 credits, lived on campus at least one semester, and was 18 years or older. Ten participants were interviewed at their new college or university or via Skype, and represented a variety of experiences personally and academically. Four broad themes emerged from the data: (1) High-achieving students did not establish a sense of belonging psychosocially in the residence halls, which negatively affected social integration; (2) participants, almost unanimously, felt "underchallenged" or "bored" by the curriculum in the general education courses; (3) participants needed more guidance to navigate course of study and career ambiguity; (4) participants demonstrated a deeper desire for intellectually stimulating conversations and meaningful engagement in the classroom and in campus life experiences. A number of implications for student and academic affairs are presented as a result of the findings. First, campus administrators must work with student and academic affairs to create a campus culture that nurtures a sense of belonging for high-achieving students. Second, an emphasis on faculty developm (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Maureen Wilson (Advisor); Earley Mark (Other); Coomes Michael (Committee Member); Lunceford Christina (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; Education; Educational Leadership; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration

Master of Arts (MA), Wright State University, 2014, Educational Leadership

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of a career development component in a first year seminar course on the dysfunctional career thoughts of undecided first year college students, as measured by the Career Thoughts Inventory (CTI). The intent was to determine if there was a statistically significant difference in students exposed to the career development component in First Year Seminar courses as compared to students who were not by comparing the means of their CTI total scores. Also, for those students who were exposed to career development in a first year seminar course the study aimed to determine if there were statistically significant differences in the means of the CTI total scores based on gender. The t-test analysis from the data of the primary research question did not determine significant differences in the means of the CTI total scores of students who were exposed to the career development component and students who were not. Analysis from the data of the sub-research question did not determine significant differences in the means of CTI total scores of students exposed to the career development component by gender. Limitations as well as recommendations for future research included securing a larger sample and examining the construct scales within the CTI total score as opposed to only examining the total CTI score.

Committee: Carol Patitu Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Joanne Risacher Ph.D. (Committee Co-Chair); Glenn Graham Ed.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Higher Education

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2007, Education : Educational Studies

Many institutions of higher education have implemented programs to encourage self-regulated learning involving the assessment of study skills, using instruments such as the LASSI and the instruction of study strategies through specific courses. Some research indicates the success of such endeavors, whereas other research indicates that adult learners are not very proficient at self-regulation. The purpose of this study was two-fold: (1) to determine if students report increased usage and effective execution of study strategies after a series of lessons on study strategies; and (2) to determine if students demonstrate greater gains in reported use and effective execution of such strategies when given practice with domain-specific content in comparison to domain-general course content during a series of lessons on study strategies. A Pretest-Posttest Nonequivalent Comparison Group Design was implemented. The participants in the study were 54 under-prepared first-year college students enrolled in a College Success Seminar at a large urban university. The participants received instruction on how to use and correctly implement several study strategies. Participants completed the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI), the Study Strategy Frequency of Use Survey, and the Test for Selecting Main Idea, Organization, and Elaboration as pre- and post-tests. The results indicate that participants did learn how to use and implement the study strategies taught. Of particular interest was the improvement of participants' ability to use concept mapping and outlining skills as a result of the instruction on study strategies. The study strategies practiced with domain-general content improved in use and implementation; however the instruction did not have the same overall impact with the domain-specific content.

Committee: Dr. Rhonda Brown (Advisor) Subjects: Education, Educational Psychology

Master of Education, University of Toledo, 2004, Higher Education

A general assumption in higher education is that students who do not make a successful transition to college life are more likely not to be retained for the second year. Historically, colleges and universities have implemented programs and courses that assist first-year students in developing academic and social skills. Developing these types of skills allow first-year students the opportunity to make a transition to college life. Undecided students are at-risk students, and it is important for a college to provide a support system to these students through effective advising, and courses that are concentrated on first-year success. Orientation courses have been a part of the overall first-year experience for students in large numbers of colleges and universities. This quantitative study investigated the perceptions of 322 first-year undecided QUEST students, enrolled in an eight-week orientation course at the University of Toledo (UT). The orientation instructors' perceptions were also investigated in considering the effectiveness of the course in achieving first-year objectives. Students and instructors recorded their agreement or disagreement with the statements on the opinionnaire. The statements concentrated on the objectives that would allow first-year students to make a transition to college life. Opinionnaire statements were constructed using the QUEST orientation course syllabus, an informational flyer provided to students during the Fall 2003 registration, and other QUEST FYE documented objectives. The data from the opinionnaire responses recorded on a Likert scale were machine scored, and summed using the numerical values assigned by the students and the instructors to each opinionnaire item. The sum of the numerical values established a rating hierarchy of agreement or disagreement for each objective and the objectives were ranked. Course objectives that were ranked high included the first-year objectives of academic advising, balancing campus life, reso (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Richard Perry (Advisor) Subjects:

Master of Science in Exercise and Health Studies, Miami University, 2010, Physical Education, Health, and Sport Studies

Some researchers suggest that multiple health behavior change (MHBC) interventions may be more beneficial than single health behavior change interventions in reducing the mortality rates related to chronic conditions. The present investigation sought to determine if four health behaviors (i.e., exercise, fruit and vegetable intake, high fat food avoidance, and stress management) that are risk factors for chronic conditions were positively related to each other. The researcher explored individuals' movement through the Transtheoretical Model's stages of change. The sample consisted of 321 first-year college students from a mid-sized, Midwestern university. Most first-year students did not meet guidelines for all four of these health behaviors. Also, the majority of first-year students' behaviors remained static over time. MHBC interventions that target exercise, fruit and vegetable intake, high fat food avoidance, and stress management are warranted for first-year college students, and they could reduce people's risk of developing chronic conditions.

Committee: Rose Marie Ward PhD (Advisor); John Kimiecik PhD (Committee Member); Jeffrey Potteiger PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Health Education

Master of Arts (M.A.), University of Dayton, 2010, English

The primary purpose of this thesis is to explore the effectiveness of first-year composition courses for business students. In order to assess whether first-year composition courses address the skills students need for success in academia and as business majors, two business faculty members at each of three universities in the South are interviewed, comparing their desired skills for college students with the skills actually taught at the same universities through interviews conducted with two First-Year English Composition Faculty at each school. This is a complex area of study for English and Business Faculty, and while many faculty interviewed agreed on the importance of some current FYC objectives, including coherent and clear writing, the study identifies other objectives that must be included and/or reprioritized in future composition syllabi for business students. This paper identifies grammar and Internet citation skills as requiring more emphasis among a plethora of perceptions about writing held by those interviewed.

Committee: Bryan Bardine PhD (Advisor); Betty Youngkin PhD (Committee Member); Andrew Slade PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Business Administration; Composition

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2009, Higher Education Administration

The purpose of this study was to examine college students' lived experiences in an interactive skill-building course for first-year students. The research addressed four areas of inquiry: (a) students' perceptions of what they learned from the course, (b) students' perceptions of the course's impact on their transition to college, (c) students' perceptions of the most long- lasting impact of the course, and (d) students' perceptions about the course. As first-year students enter institutions across the country, they are required to make numerous decisions that will influence various aspects of their college experience. Some first-year students encounter academic difficulties or struggle with adjusting to the campus culture. Students must quickly learn to navigate the rigors of college life, which may be extremely different from their previous educational experience. Some first-year students are away from home for the first time and might feel isolated. Many colleges and universities provide programs and services to help first-year students achieve a successful transition into higher education. In order to provide a comprehensive and authentic account of the participants' experiences in a skill-building course for first-year students, a phenomenological study based on the emergent paradigm was employed. Five students participated in the study, and the researcher conducted two phases of in-depth semi-structured interview sessions. Some of the themes that emerged from the inductive analysis of data are communication and self-confidence, meeting people and making friends, positive and negative interactions, and getting used to something new. The majority of the participants expressed that the skill-building course, along with other factors, provided support during their first year of college. Institutions of higher education must strive to create a learning environment that is conducive to first-year students successfully achieving their educational goals. Providin (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Leigh Chiarelott PhD (Committee Chair); John Makay PhD (Committee Member); Carolyn Palmer PhD (Committee Member); Maureen Wilson PhD (Other) Subjects: Higher Education

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2006, Higher Education Administration

For nearly four decades scholars from various disciplines have studied college students' personal finance characteristics, primarily examining collegians' knowledge of consumer finance issues, but occasionally considering their attitudes or behaviors. In recent years there has been a surge in research projects examining college students' personal finance characteristics. No studies were found that simultaneously examined students' personal finance attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge, nor did the literature reveal research focused on the subjects of this study: students enrolled at Baptist universities in Texas. The purpose of this study, which was guided by eight research questions, was to examine the personal finance attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge levels of freshmen and seniors at Baptist universities in Texas, and to allow student affairs administrators employed at these institutions to offer their perceptions of students' personal finance characteristics and to provide suggestions regarding how institutions might address personal finance education. Online surveys were employed for data collection. Six Baptist universities in Texas were included in the study, 2,100 students (350 per institution, 175 first-year students and 175 seniors) were systematically sampled, and 408 (19%) usable surveys were completed. A convenience sample of student affairs administrators (n = 169) was selected and 100 (59%) usable surveys were completed. Data were primarily quantitative in nature, though administrators were encouraged to provide written comments that were analyzed through basic qualitative techniques. Most research questions, however, were answered through descriptive statistics, t tests, or ANOVA procedures. Seniors demonstrated significantly better personal finance attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge than first-year students. To a significant degree compared with first-year students, seniors credited their university experience with helping to improve their knowledg (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Robert DeBard (Advisor) Subjects: Higher Education