Relocated Undergraduates' Academic Success and Well-Being: Factors associated with type of residence, social support, meaning-in-life, belonging, and sense of community

Abstract

Relocation is a stressful life event. Addressing gaps in the literature through the prism of emerging-adult theory (Arnett, 2004), this thesis investigates the contribution of perceived available social support to the academic success and psychological well-being of typical (aged 18 - 20 years) undergraduate university students relocated for tertiary education in Australia. This thesis adds to the literature the associations of differing types of residence with perceived available social support; the concept and construct of integrated support; and the relationships between types of residence, integrated support, belonging, sense of community, Grade Point Average (GPA), psychological well-being, and contact with distal (geographically dispersed) peers. The thesis consists of three studies in publication format, a systematic review and two quantitative studies. Study One, the systematic review, sought to ascertain the reliability of evidence for an association of perceived available social support with relocated, first-year undergraduates’ type of residence, academic success, and mental health. Study Two examined a sample (N = 121) of first-year undergraduates (M = 18.89 years) from abroad (international students) and rural, regional, and remote (RRR students) areas of Australia. Participants represented the three South Australian public universities. Study Two aimed, first, to determine any associations between type of residence (flat, share house, college, “village”), perceived available social support, domestic support, greeting network, and oral English use. The second aim was to determine relationships of such factors with meaning-in-life presence (PML) and search (SML), academic success (pass rate and intention to persist) and psychological distress. A separate correlational analysis of perceived available social support sub-scales (tangible, belonging, appraisal), domestic support, greeting network, meaning-in-life sub-scales (PML and SML), and psychological distress, indicated Study Three. Study Three, conducted in Semester 2 of 2020, examined another sample (N = 122) of relocated undergraduates (M = 19.46 years). Study Three aimed, first, to determine the strength of associations between the factors (integrated support [residence], perceived available belonging support, sense of community [residence], and sense of community [university]. The Study aimed, second, to determine the strength of associations between the factors and participants’ outcomes (GPA, intention to persist, psychological well-being, and regular contact with distal co-residents, and university peers). Study One used a rigorous, comprehensive electronic search spanning 27 years. Nine databases yielded seven eligible studies, each conducted independently at universities in the United States of America (USA). The review found consistent evidence that social support was associated with first-year undergraduates’ academic success and psychological health but a paucity of such research, and no Australian content. Study Two was a quantitative, cross-sectional, online survey. Statistical analysis showed that levels of perceived available social support, domestic support, greeting network, and oral English use were highest in colleges. Perceived available social support had a small, positive relationship with pass rate and a medium-sized, inverse relationship with psychological distress. Furthermore, the study found medium sizes of effect on relationships between greeting network and pass rate (inverse); meaning-in-life presence (PML) (positive) and intention to persist (positive) and psychological distress (inverse); and search for meaning-in-life (SML) and psychological distress (positive). Study Three had the same design as Study Two. Statistical analysis showed levels of integrated support, perceived available belonging support, and sense of community (residence) were highest in colleges. Integrated support contributed a large proportion of the variance in both perceived available belonging support and sense of community (residence). Integrated support also largely predicted regular contact with dispersed, distal co-residents. Perceived available belonging support had a large, positive association with sense of community (residence) and a relatively small one with sense of community (university). Perceived available belonging support showed a small, positive relationship with estimated GPA; a medium-sized, positive relationship with psychological well-being; was a significant, unique contributor to contact with dispersed, distal co-residents; and influenced contact with dispersed, distal university peers. University sense of community showed a medium-sized relationship with psychological well-being. While this thesis has methodological limitations, it provides reliable evidence for the association of types of residence with differing levels of integrated support, perceived available social support, particularly perceived available belonging support, sense of community, and undergraduates’ outcomes. This thesis confirms associations of PML and SML with academic success and psychological distress. In addition, the thesis shows reliable evidence of a positive relationship between sense of community at university and undergraduates’ psychological well-being. Implications of this thesis for students, parents, counsellors, student accommodation providers, and universities are significant.