Sample records for targeting college students

  1. College Drinking

    MedlinePlus

    ... college community. Strategies Targeting Individual Students Individual-level interventions target students, including those in higher-risk groups ... experience fewer harmful consequences. Categories of individual-level interventions include: » Education and awareness programs Alcohol poisoning and ...

  2. Cost-Free Financial Aid Focuses Kids on College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martinez, Tony P.; Martinez, Alison P.

    2006-01-01

    This article discusses college student financial aid. The core business of SLM Corporation, better known as Sallie Mae, is college loans. Its charitable affiliate, the Sallie Mae Fund, offers scholarships like the "First in My Family" grant, targeting first-generation Hispanic college students. Latino college students average less financial aid…

  3. An Investigation into Credit Card Debt among College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Dylan; Waterwall, Brian; Giardelli, Tiffany

    2008-01-01

    It is no surprise that the amount of credit card debt and outstanding loan balances of college students is increasing every year. College students are heavily targeted by credit companies through the use of e-mail, campus booths, and standard mail. The reason for these solicitations is because of the soaring expense levels of college students and…

  4. Combining Active Learning with Service Learning: A Student-Driven Demonstration Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hatcher-Skeers, Mary; Aragon, Ellen

    2002-01-01

    Describes a project that integrates active learning into service learning targeting both college students and middle schools students wherein college students perform chemical demonstrations for middle school students. (YDS)

  5. Preparing Students for College: Lessons Learned from the Early College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edmunds, Julie A.; Arshavsky, Nina; Lewis, Karla; Thrift, Beth; Unlu, Fatih; Furey, Jane

    2017-01-01

    This article utilizes mixed methods--a lottery-based experimental design supplemented by qualitative data--to examine college readiness within an innovative high school setting: early college high schools. Early colleges are small schools that merge the high school and college experiences and are targeted at students underrepresented in college.…

  6. College Students' Perceptions of the Importance of Sexual Assault Prevention Education: Suggestions for Targeting Recruitment for Peer-Based Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jozkowski, Kristen N.; Henry, Dayna S.; Sturm, Ashley A.

    2015-01-01

    Introduction: Sexual assault continues to be a pervasive health issue among college students in the USA. Prevention education initiatives have been implemented to address this concern. However, little is known about college students' perceptions of such programming. The purpose of this study was to assess predictors of college students'…

  7. Gay Students: The Latest Outreach Target at Many Colleges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Young, Amanda

    2011-01-01

    Today's colleges strive for diversity in order to enrich students' personal development, perspectives, and real-world knowledge. While colleges have been trying to recruit students of different races for decades, they are now expanding their perspective of what true diversity entails. LGBT students, due to their orientation, often have different…

  8. The Impact of Family Disintegration on College Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fishman, Deborah E.

    1994-01-01

    Notes that divorce is stressful life transition and that colleges offer few services targeted specifically to students from divorced families. Discusses how parental divorce may inhibit psychological separation processes of college students with regard to perceptions of parents, adjustment and academic success, and identity formation. Concludes…

  9. African-American College Student Attitudes toward Physics and Their Effect on Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Drake, Carl Timothy

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate factors affecting the attitudes that African-American college students have towards introductory college physics. The population targeted for this study consisted of African-American males and females enrolled in introductory college physics classes at an urban public historical black college or…

  10. "Facebook Official," "Hooking Up," "Friends with Benefits": Decoding the Terminology, Relationship Status, and Sexual Behaviors of Female College Students to Best Target Health Needs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richman, Alice R.; Webb, Monica C.; Eicher, Lesley; Adams, Phyllis; Troutman, Jamie

    2017-01-01

    Objective: This study aimed to assist college healthcare providers with patient communication by determining the relationship terminology commonly used by college students. Participants: A total of 17 female college students participated in four focus groups across two Universities. Participants were primarily white (71%) and heterosexual (88%).…

  11. College Smoking-Cessation Using Cell Phone Text Messaging.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Obermayer, Jami L.; Riley, William T.; Jean-Mary, Jersino

    2004-01-01

    Although rates of smoking among college-aged students continue to rise, few interventions that focus on college smokers' unique motivations and episodic smoking patterns exist. The authors developed and evaluated a prototype program targeting college students that integrates Web and cell phone technologies to deliver a smoking-cessation…

  12. Impact of a University-Based Program on Obese College Students' Physical Activity Behaviors, Attitudes, and Self-Efficacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ickes, Melinda J.; McMullen, Jennifer; Pflug, Courtney; Westgate, Philip M.

    2016-01-01

    Background: More than one third of college students are either overweight or obese, making college campuses an ideal setting to target at risk behaviors while tailoring programs to the evolving lifestyle of college students. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a 15-week, campus-based lifestyle modification program on…

  13. Sociological Variables Perceived in the Study of Ghanaian Languages in Central and Western Regional Colleges of Education in Ghana

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Quaicoe, Kate; Adams, Francis Hull; Bersah, Vivian Adoboah; Baah, Kwabena Appiah

    2015-01-01

    The study was conducted in two Colleges of Education in the Western and Central Regions of Ghana to find out how Colleges of Education students and tutors perceive the study of Ghanaian Languages. The target population comprised all staff and students of the Colleges of Education but the accessible population comprised students and tutors of the…

  14. In the Summer, Getting Into College Is Easy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gose, Ben

    1998-01-01

    Many colleges have summer academic programs for high school students; some design special courses, while others admit the students to regular college courses. Some target gifted students. While participation in the programs, which are easy to get into, does not assure later entry to the institution, many parents have that expectation. The programs…

  15. The Saint Mary's Woman: toward Intellectual Leadership.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    White, Patrick E.

    This two-year project at Saint Mary's College, a women's college in Notre Dame (Indiana), focused on building intellectual community and fostering student leadership skills. The study targeted two student groups: (1) students with much to contribute to the intellectual life of the college but alienated from traditional forms of leadership, and (2)…

  16. HEADS UP! A nested intervention with freshmen male college students and the broader campus community to promote responsible drinking.

    PubMed

    LaBrie, Joseph W; Pedersen, Eric R; Lamb, Toby F; Bove, Lane

    2006-01-01

    The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism developed several guidelines for effective interventions in dealing with problematic college student drinking, including targeted individual interventions paired with broader campus community involvement. The project Heads UP! combines these suggestions in an effort to intervene with high-risk first-year male college students. The objective of the program is to reduce campus alcohol-related negative events and prevent these high-risk students from developing dangerous drinking patterns throughout college. The project provides an environment that supports students in actively following the goals outlined by the intervention, and it actively impacts the overall campus by helping students make responsible drinking decisions. Promising results are forthcoming, and the authors encourage other universities to design and adopt similar campus-supported programs nested within the broader campus community that target high-risk populations on campus.

  17. Supporting Self-Regulated Learning for College Students with Asperger Syndrome: Exploring the "Strategies for College Learning" Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ness, Bryan M.

    2013-01-01

    In this study, I piloted the feasibility, effects, and perceived acceptability of a peer mentoring intervention targeting academic achievement and self-regulated learning (SRL) for three college students with Asperger syndrome. The approach, dubbed Strategies for College Learning (SCL), features individualized assessment of academic performance in…

  18. Marketing Strategy for Community College Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coffee, Linda; Miller, Bob W.

    1980-01-01

    Traces the expansion of marketing in postsecondary education. Enumerates the goals of Prince George's Community College's marketing task force. Defines marketing and suggests strategies for targeting marketing efforts toward high school students, business and industry, the general public, and students within the college. (AYC)

  19. The Communication Expectations of College-Bound High School Students. An E-Expectations Trend Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Noel-Levitz, Inc, 2012

    2012-01-01

    How do prospective college students want to communicate with campuses? When do they want to interact with their target colleges? Which communication methods make them feel most comfortable? Noel-Levitz, OmniUpdate, CollegeWeekLive, and NRCCUA[R] (National Research Center for College & University Admissions) conducted a survey of more than 1,300…

  20. University of Puget Sound American Association of Colleges/Mellon Foundation Transfer Student Project: 1985-86 Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Copeland, Scott A.

    The University of Puget Sound's (UPS's) transfer student project was designed to aid black community college transfer students in pursuing a baccalaureate degree in business administration. Initially, Tacoma Community College (TCC) was targeted as the project partner because of its close proximity to UPS, its large minority population, and the…

  1. The College Ladder: Linking Secondary and Postsecondary Education for Success for All Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lerner, Jennifer Brown; Brand, Betsy

    2006-01-01

    This compendium identifies and describes schools, programs, and policies that link secondary and postsecondary education to help students earn college credit or take college-level courses while in high school. It raises issues for practitioners and policymakers to consider as these program grow and target a wider range of students. This compendium…

  2. Culture and importance of backgrounds: a cross-cultural study of photograph taking.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jie; Li, Chen; Smithson, Adam; Spann, Ethan; Ruan, Fang

    2010-10-01

    To compare the focus on targeted people while taking a photograph, samples of American and Chinese college students were randomly selected and asked to take casual pictures of people around them with digital cameras. About 200 photographs were rated for the focus on the intended target in the picture. American students were more likely to focus on the targeted individual, while the Chinese students were more likely to attend to the background and the environment of the targeted individual. The findings imply that for the Chinese college students, the environment can be equally important as the person. Possibly for Americans the environment is less important due to the more individualistic culture.

  3. Normative feedback for parents of college students: piloting a parent based intervention to correct misperceptions of students' alcohol use and other parents' approval of drinking.

    PubMed

    Labrie, Joseph W; Napper, Lucy E; Hummer, Justin F

    2014-01-01

    Multi-component parent-based interventions (PBIs) provide a promising avenue for targeting alcohol use and related consequences in college students. Parents of college-aged children can have a significant influence on their children's alcohol use decisions. However, parents tend to underestimate their own child's alcohol use and overestimate other similar parents' approval of student drinking. These misperceptions could have important implications for parents' own attitudes and alcohol-related communication with their student. Targeting these misperceptions through normative feedback could help promote greater and more in-depth alcohol-related communication. The present study examines the potential efficacy of web-based alcohol-related normative feedback for parents of college students. A sample of 144 parents of college students received web-based normative feedback about students' alcohol use and approval, as well as other same-college parents' alcohol approval. Parents completed measures of perceived student alcohol use, student alcohol approval, other-parent alcohol approval, and intentions to discuss alcohol use both pre- and post-normative feedback. Post-feedback, parents reported stronger intentions to talk to their student about alcohol, were less confident in their knowledge of their students' alcohol use, and believed that their student drank in greater quantity and more frequently than pre-feedback. Parents also perceived other parents to be less approving of alcohol use after viewing normative feedback. These findings provide preliminary support for the use of web-based normative feedback for parents of college students. Given these promising results, further research developing and testing this approach merits attention. © 2013.

  4. A health promotion practicum targeting the college-age population.

    PubMed

    Diebold, C M; Chappell, H W; Robinson, M K

    2000-01-01

    Senior and sophomore baccalaureate nursing students at the University of Kentucky developed a health promotion exposition that targeted college students. This experience gave senior students the opportunity to practice leadership and management skills, such as planning, organizing, collaborating, delegating, evaluating, and time management and conflict resolution. Sophomore students developed teaching abilities, practiced assessment and communication techniques, and increased their knowledge of health-promoting behaviors. Both groups experienced team building and demonstrated accountability. Students reported a positive learning experience that met various course objectives in an innovative way.

  5. The Moving Target: Student Financial Aid and Community College Student Retention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kennamer, Michael A.; Katsinas, Stephen G.; Schumacker, Randall E.

    2011-01-01

    This article reviews recent literature on student financial aid as a retention tool at community colleges. Enrollment and tuition data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and federal direct grant student aid data from the IPEDS Student Financial Aid Survey are used to…

  6. Early College Can Boost College Success Rates for Low-Income, First-Generation Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ndiaye, Mamadou; Wolfe, Rebecca E.

    2016-01-01

    Early college high school models are designed to encourage and assist traditionally underrepresented groups of students- low income, Latino, and African-American- to persist in and graduate from high school while earning college credit. Some of the models target high school dropouts, with the aim of helping them acquire the education and training…

  7. Power of Place: Emerging Science Programs Help Tribal College Students Lead the Way--At Home

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zaffos, Joshua

    2013-01-01

    Since the first tribal college was established in the late 1960s, tribal colleges and universities have offered technical-learning opportunities to students in isolated communities around the country. From the onset, many of these colleges focused on providing practical skills and vocational job training, and frequently targeted nontraditional,…

  8. Using Social Cognitive Theory to Predict Safer Sex Behaviors in African American College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kanekar, Amar; Sharma, Manoj

    2009-01-01

    Safer sex is important for protection against STDs and HIV/AIDS. Most of the HIV-related research is targeted towards high-risk groups such as prostitutes, gays and substance abusers there is evidence that HIV/AIDS is increasing in college students particularly among African-American college students. The purpose of this study was to study…

  9. Stated Briefly: Participation and Pass Rates for College Preparatory Transition Courses in Kentucky. REL 2015-060

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cramer, Eric; Mokher, Christine

    2015-01-01

    This study examines Kentucky high school students' participation and pass rates in college preparatory transition courses, voluntary remedial courses in math and reading offered to grade 12 students. These courses are targeted to students scoring just below the state's college readiness benchmarks on the ACT in grade 11. The study found that:…

  10. Sports betting and other gambling in athletes, fans, and other college students.

    PubMed

    Nelson, Toben F; LaBrie, Richard A; LaPlante, Debi A; Stanton, Michael; Shaffer, Howard J; Wechsler, Henry

    2007-09-01

    Gambling on college and professional sports and the influence of attending colleges with differing levels of "sports interest" were examined among athletes, sports fans, and other students (N = 10,559) at 119 colleges in the United States using multilevel statistical analysis. Athletes and fans reported more sports gambling compared to other students, with no differences between athletes and fans. Male students were more likely to gamble than female students, but gender did not moderate the relationship between athletic participation and sports gambling. Students attending schools with a greater "sports interest" were more likely to gamble on college sports after adjusting for individual characteristics. Athletes, sports fans, and students attending schools with high "sports interest" are appropriate targets for prevention efforts.

  11. A university system-wide qualitative investigation into student physical activity promotion conducted on college campuses.

    PubMed

    Milroy, Jeffrey J; Wyrick, David L; Bibeau, Daniel L; Strack, Robert W; Davis, Paul G

    2012-01-01

    This study aimed to examine college student physical activity promotion. A cross-sectional approach to qualitative research was used. Southeastern state university system. Fourteen of 15 (93%) universities recruited were included in this study; 22 university employees participated in a semistructured interview. Nonprobabilistic purposive and snowball sampling strategies were used to recruit individuals who were likely to be engaged in physical activity promotion efforts on their respective campuses. Thematic analyses lead to the identification of emerging themes that were coded and analyzed using NVivo software. Themes informed three main areas: key personnel responsible for promoting physical activity to students, actual physical activity promotion efforts implemented, and factors that influence student physical activity promotion. Results suggest that ecological approaches to promote physical activity on college campuses are underused, the targeting of mediators of physical activity in college students is limited, and values held by university administration influence campus physical activity promotion. Findings support recommendations for future research and practice. Practitioners should attempt to implement social ecological approaches that target scientifically established mediators of physical activity in college students. Replication of this study is needed to compare these findings with other types of universities, and to investigate the relationship between promotion activities (type and exposure) and physical activity behaviors of college students.

  12. Comparing Students' Enrolment and Graduate Output in Home Economics with Other Vocational Subjects in Colleges of Education in Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arubayi, D. O.

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to compare students' enrolment and graduate output in Home Economics with other Vocational subjects in the Colleges of Education in Nigeria. The target population included twenty (20) Federal Colleges and twenty-seven (27) State Colleges of Education offering eight Vocational and Technical disciplines during the…

  13. International Student Guide to U.S. Community Colleges, 2008-2009

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    American Association of Community Colleges (NJ1), 2008

    2008-01-01

    The "International Student Guide to U.S. Community Colleges" is the only publication of its kind that targets prospective international students. Published annually, the Guide is designed to inform, advise, assist, and influence postsecondary students in other countries who plan to pursue education options in the United States. The Guide…

  14. eHealth Literacy and Health Behaviors Affecting Modern College Students: A Pilot Study of Issues Identified by the American College Health Association

    PubMed Central

    Collins, William Bart; Wilson, Kari; Linnemeier, Georgiann; Englebert, Andrew Mark

    2017-01-01

    Background The eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) has been widely adopted by researchers to understand how eHealth literacy can be put into context. eHealth researchers need to know how to promote positive health behavior changes across college students, given the importance of the Internet to acquire and use health information. The American College Health Association identified a set of key health issues that affect college students today. By understanding how eHEALS might be related to college students’ maintenance of their health and their use of online health resources, researchers will be provided with a better understanding of eHealth literacy and its pragmatic implications for health campaigns and future interventions. Objective The goal of the study was to examine what eHEALS reveals about college student health behaviors identified by the American College Health Association. To understand college student current health maintenance and their intentions to maintain their health and use online resources, the theory of planned behavior was used as the theoretical framework for the study. Methods Data were collected via a survey of 422 college students that included the eHEALS measure and questions about health issues based on the recommendations of the American College Health Association. These questions asked about college student current health, subsequent use of online health resources, and their intention to maintain their health and make use of such resources in the future. Results eHEALS was positively and significantly associated with all 8 areas of health issues identified by the American College Health Association for college student current maintenance of health and use of online health resources and for future intention of health maintenance and use of online resources. Key issues that emerged with eHealth literacy were maintaining safe sex practices and seeking out related information, seeking out information on an exercise regime, information on vaccinations, and maintaining a balanced diet. Conclusions These results suggest several areas that may be targeted for future health campaigns toward college students. In addition, eHEALS was found to be a useful instrument for college students in the United States. Lastly, these results point to a need to deliver targeted information to college students, particularly since eHEALS captures literacy based on positively phrased items. PMID:29258979

  15. Assessing Overweight and Cardiovascular Risks among College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hlaing, Way Way; Nath, Subrata D.; Huffman, Fatma G.

    2007-01-01

    Although studies regarding health issues and the obesity epidemic have increased in recent years, few of these studies target college-aged students. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the differences in race/ethnicity with respect to prevalence of overweight/obesity (defined by body mass index or BMI) among college students…

  16. Exploring the Multimodality of EFL Textbooks for Chinese College Students: A Comparative Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, Xiqin; Qu, Dianning

    2014-01-01

    To explore the multimodality of two representative EFL textbook series for Chinese college students, their visual and verbal semiotic modes were compared. The target textbooks are "Experiencing English" and "New Century College English". Through multimodal discourse analysis, the study aims to shed some light on how to develop…

  17. Identification of Multiple Nonreturner Profiles to Inform the Development of Targeted College Retention Interventions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mattern, Krista D.; Marini, Jessica P.; Shaw, Emily J.

    2015-01-01

    Throughout the college retention literature, there is a recurring theme that students leave college for a variety of reasons making retention a difficult phenomenon to model. In the current study, cluster analysis techniques were employed to investigate whether multiple empirically based profiles of nonreturning students existed to more fully…

  18. Kohonen Self-Organizing Feature Maps as a Means to Benchmark College and University Websites

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cooper, Cameron; Burns, Andrew

    2007-01-01

    Websites for colleges and universities have become the primary means for students to obtain information in the college search process. Consequently, institutions of higher education should target their websites toward prospective and current students' needs, interests, and tastes. Numerous parameters must be determined in creating a school website…

  19. The Community College Effect Revisited: The Importance of Attending to Heterogeneity and Complex Counterfactuals*

    PubMed Central

    Brand, Jennie E.; Pfeffer, Fabian T.; Goldrick-Rab, Sara

    2015-01-01

    Community colleges are controversial educational institutions, often said to simultaneously expand college opportunities and diminish baccalaureate attainment. We assess the seemingly contradictory functions of community colleges by attending to effect heterogeneity and to alternative counterfactual conditions. Using data on postsecondary outcomes of high school graduates of Chicago Public Schools, we find that enrolling at a community college penalizes more advantaged students who otherwise would have attended four-year colleges, particularly highly selective schools; however, these students represent a relatively small portion of the community college population, and these estimates are almost certainly biased. On the other hand, enrolling at a community college has a modest positive effect on bachelor's degree completion for disadvantaged students who otherwise would not have attended college; these students represent the majority of community college goers. We conclude that discussions among scholars, policymakers, and practitioners should move beyond considering the pros and cons of community college attendance for students in general to attending to the implications of community college attendance for targeted groups of students. PMID:25825705

  20. Positive Changes in Perceptions and Selections of Healthful Foods by College Students after a Short-Term Point-of-Selection Intervention at a Dining Hall

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peterson, Sharon; Duncan, Diana Poovey; Null, Dawn Bloyd; Roth, Sara Long; Gill, Lynn

    2010-01-01

    Objective: Determine the effects of a short-term, multi-faceted, point-of-selection intervention on college students' perceptions and selection of 10 targeted healthful foods in a university dining hall and changes in their self-reported overall eating behaviors. Participants: 104 college students, (age 18-23) completed pre-I and post-I surveys.…

  1. Using Sleep Interventions to Engage and Treat Heavy-Drinking College Students: A Randomized Pilot Study.

    PubMed

    Fucito, Lisa M; DeMartini, Kelly S; Hanrahan, Tess H; Yaggi, Henry Klar; Heffern, Christina; Redeker, Nancy S

    2017-04-01

    Continued high alcohol consumption levels by college students highlight the need for more effective alcohol interventions and novel treatment engagement strategies. The purpose of this study was to investigate a behavioral sleep intervention as a means to engage heavy-drinking college students in treatment and reduce alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences. Heavy-drinking college students (N = 42) were assigned to 1 of 2 web-based interventions comprised of 4 modules delivered over 4 weeks. The experimental intervention focused primarily on sleep and included evidence-based sleep content (i.e., stimulus control instructions, sleep scheduling [consistent bed/rise times; ideal sleep duration for adolescents/young adults], sleep hygiene advice, relaxation training, cognitive strategies to target sleep-disruptive beliefs), and alcohol content (i.e., normative and blood alcohol level feedback, moderate drinking guidelines, controlled drinking strategies, effects of alcohol on sleep and the body, advice to moderate drinking for improved sleep) in young adults. The control condition Healthy Behaviors provided basic advice about nutrition, exercise, sleep (i.e., good sleep hygiene only), and drinking (i.e., effects of alcohol on the body, moderate drinking guidelines, advice to moderate drinking for sleep). Participants in both conditions monitored their sleep using daily web-based diaries and a wrist-worn sleep tracker. Recruitment ads targeting college students with sleep concerns effectively identified heavy-drinking students. The program generated a high number of inquiries and treatment completion rates were high. Both interventions significantly reduced typical week drinking and alcohol-related consequences and improved sleep quality and sleep-related impairment ratings. The control condition yielded greater reductions in total drinks in a heaviest drinking week. The effects on drinking were larger than those observed in typical brief alcohol intervention studies for college students. Greater sleep improvement tended to predict better subsequent drinking outcomes. The results suggest that sleep treatment may be a promising strategy for targeting and treating heavy-drinking college students. Copyright © 2017 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

  2. Using Sleep Interventions to Engage and Treat Heavy-Drinking College Students: A Randomized Pilot Study

    PubMed Central

    Fucito, Lisa M.; DeMartini, Kelly S.; Hanrahan, Tess H.; Yaggi, Henry Klar; Heffern, Christina; Redeker, Nancy S.

    2017-01-01

    Background Continued high alcohol consumption levels by college students highlight the need for more effective alcohol interventions and novel treatment engagement strategies. The purpose of this study was to investigate a behavioral sleep intervention as a means to engage heavy-drinking college students in treatment and reduce alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences. Methods Heavy-drinking college students (N=42) were assigned to 1 of 2 web-based interventions comprised of 4 modules delivered over 4 weeks. The experimental intervention focused primarily on sleep and included evidence-based sleep content (i.e., stimulus control instructions, sleep scheduling (consistent bed/rise times; ideal sleep duration for adolescents/young adults), sleep hygiene advice, relaxation training, cognitive strategies to target sleep-disruptive beliefs) and alcohol content (i.e., normative and blood alcohol level feedback, moderate drinking guidelines, controlled drinking strategies, effects of alcohol on sleep and the body, advice to moderate drinking for improved sleep) in young adults. The healthy behaviors control condition provided basic advice about nutrition, exercise, sleep (i.e., good sleep hygiene only) and drinking (i.e., effects of alcohol on the body, moderate drinking guidelines, advice to moderate drinking for sleep). Participants in both conditions monitored their sleep using daily web-based diaries and a wrist-worn sleep tracker. Results Recruitment ads targeting college students with sleep concerns effectively identified heavy-drinking students. The program generated a high number of inquiries and treatment completion rates were high. Both interventions significantly reduced typical week drinking and alcohol-related consequences and improved sleep quality and sleep-related impairment ratings. The control condition yielded greater reductions in total drinks in a heaviest drinking week. The effects on drinking were larger than those observed in typical brief alcohol intervention studies for college students. Greater sleep improvement tended to predict better subsequent drinking outcomes. The results suggest that sleep treatment may be a promising strategy for targeting and treating heavy-drinking college students. PMID:28118486

  3. Normative Feedback for Parents of College Students: Piloting a Parent Based Intervention to Correct Misperceptions of Students’ Alcohol Use and Other Parents’ Approval of Drinking

    PubMed Central

    LaBrie, Joseph W.; Napper, Lucy E.; Hummer, Justin F.

    2013-01-01

    Objective Multi-component parent-based interventions (PBIs) provide a promising avenue for targeting alcohol use and related consequences in college students. Parents of college-aged children can have a significant influence on their children’s alcohol use decisions. However, parents tend to underestimate their own child’s alcohol use and overestimate other similar parents’ approval of student drinking. These misperceptions could have important implications for parents’ own attitudes and alcohol-related communication with their student. Targeting these misperceptions through normative feedback could help promote greater and more in-depth alcohol-related communication. The present study examines the potential efficacy of web-based alcohol-related normative feedback for parents of college students. Method A sample of 144 parents of college students received web-based normative feedback about students’ alcohol use and approval, as well as other same-college parents’ alcohol approval. Parents completed measures of perceived student alcohol use, student alcohol approval, other-parent alcohol approval, and intentions to discuss alcohol use both pre- and post-normative feedback. Results Post-feedback, parents reported stronger intentions to talk to their student about alcohol, were less confident in their knowledge of their students’ alcohol use, and believed that their student drank in greater quantity and more frequently than pre-feedback. Parents also perceived other parents to be less approving of alcohol use after viewing normative feedback. Conclusions These findings provide preliminary support for the use of web-based normative feedback for parents of college students. Given these promising results, further research developing and testing this approach merits attention. PMID:24099892

  4. Unconventional Wisdom: A Profile of the Graduates of Early College High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Webb, Michael; Mayka, Lia

    2011-01-01

    For many young people, early college high schools are opening the door to higher education and better-paying careers. The 230 early college schools serve more than 50,000 students in 28 states, targeting groups that are underrepresented in higher education. These students and the schools they attend are refuting the conventional wisdom that such…

  5. STEM Attrition: College Students' Paths into and out of STEM Fields. Statistical Analysis Report. NCES 2014-001

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Xianglei

    2013-01-01

    Producing sufficient numbers of graduates who are prepared for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations has become a national priority in the United States. To attain this goal, some policymakers have targeted reducing STEM attrition in college, arguing that retaining more students in STEM fields in college is a…

  6. Preparing High School Students for College: An Exploratory Study of College Readiness Partnership Programs in Texas

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barnett, Elisabeth A.; Corrin, William; Nakanishi, Aki; Bork, Rachel Hare; Mitchell, Claire; Sepanik, Susan

    2012-01-01

    The current study examines a number of college readiness partnership programs operating in Texas and identifies their features, targeted students, and intended outcomes. It also examines the partnerships that created these programs. The findings presented here are based on a search and analysis of the relevant research and Texas policy…

  7. eHealth Literacy and Health Behaviors Affecting Modern College Students: A Pilot Study of Issues Identified by the American College Health Association.

    PubMed

    Britt, Rebecca Katherine; Collins, William Bart; Wilson, Kari; Linnemeier, Georgiann; Englebert, Andrew Mark

    2017-12-19

    The eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) has been widely adopted by researchers to understand how eHealth literacy can be put into context. eHealth researchers need to know how to promote positive health behavior changes across college students, given the importance of the Internet to acquire and use health information. The American College Health Association identified a set of key health issues that affect college students today. By understanding how eHEALS might be related to college students' maintenance of their health and their use of online health resources, researchers will be provided with a better understanding of eHealth literacy and its pragmatic implications for health campaigns and future interventions. The goal of the study was to examine what eHEALS reveals about college student health behaviors identified by the American College Health Association. To understand college student current health maintenance and their intentions to maintain their health and use online resources, the theory of planned behavior was used as the theoretical framework for the study. Data were collected via a survey of 422 college students that included the eHEALS measure and questions about health issues based on the recommendations of the American College Health Association. These questions asked about college student current health, subsequent use of online health resources, and their intention to maintain their health and make use of such resources in the future. eHEALS was positively and significantly associated with all 8 areas of health issues identified by the American College Health Association for college student current maintenance of health and use of online health resources and for future intention of health maintenance and use of online resources. Key issues that emerged with eHealth literacy were maintaining safe sex practices and seeking out related information, seeking out information on an exercise regime, information on vaccinations, and maintaining a balanced diet. These results suggest several areas that may be targeted for future health campaigns toward college students. In addition, eHEALS was found to be a useful instrument for college students in the United States. Lastly, these results point to a need to deliver targeted information to college students, particularly since eHEALS captures literacy based on positively phrased items. ©Rebecca Katherine Britt, William Bart Collins, Kari Wilson, Georgiann Linnemeier, Andrew Mark Englebert. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 19.12.2017.

  8. Personality and Alcohol-Related Outcomes among Mandated College Students: Descriptive Norms, Injunctive Norms, and College-Related Alcohol Beliefs as Mediators

    PubMed Central

    Pearson, Matthew R.; Hustad, John T. P.

    2014-01-01

    The present study examined three alcohol-perception variables (descriptive norms, injunctive norms, and college-related alcohol beliefs) as mediators of the predictive effects of four personality traits (impulsivity, sensation seeking, anxiety sensitivity, and hopelessness) on alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences in a sample of mandated college students (n = 875). Our findings replicated several findings of a previous study of incoming freshman college students (Hustad et al., in press) in that impulsivity and hopelessness had direct effects on alcohol-related problems, sensation seeking and impulsivity had indirect effects on alcohol-related outcomes via college-related alcohol beliefs, and college-related alcohol beliefs predicted both alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. We discuss the implications of our findings for global college student interventions as well as personality-targeted interventions. PMID:24589869

  9. Efficacy Trial of a Selective Prevention Program Targeting Both Eating Disorder Symptoms and Unhealthy Weight Gain among Female College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stice, Eric; Rohde, Paul; Shaw, Heather; Marti, C. Nathan

    2012-01-01

    Objective: Evaluate a selective prevention program targeting both eating disorder symptoms and unhealthy weight gain in young women. Method: Female college students at high-risk for these outcomes by virtue of body image concerns (N = 398; M age = 18.4 years, SD = 0.6) were randomized to the Healthy Weight group-based 4-hr prevention program,…

  10. Efficacy Trial of a Selective Prevention Program Targeting Both Eating Disorders and Obesity among Female College Students: 1- and 2-Year Follow-Up Effects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stice, Eric; Rohde, Paul; Shaw, Heather; Marti, C. Nathan

    2013-01-01

    Objective: Evaluate the effects of a prevention program targeting both eating disorders and obesity at 1- and 2-year follow-ups. Method: Female college students at risk for these outcomes because of body image concerns (N = 398) were randomized to the "Healthy Weight 2" group-based 4-hr prevention program, which promotes lasting healthy…

  11. Relations of Physical Activity and Stress Vulnerability in University Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xu, Furong; Liu, Wenhao; Chepyator-Thomson, Jepkorir Rose; Schmidlein, Robert

    2018-01-01

    There are increased concerns about depression and anxiety among college students. Thus in need of actions to find proper intervention strategies to target this issue. The purpose of this study was to examine association between leisure-time physical activity and stress vulnerability among college students. A modified survey including physical…

  12. Colleges Respond to Student Binge Drinking: Reducing Student Demand or Limiting Access.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wechsler, Henry; Seibring, Mark; Liu, I-Chao; Ahl, Marilyn

    2004-01-01

    Administrators at 68% of 4-year colleges nationwide (N = 747) responded to a survey concerning the types of programs and policies they used in response to students" heavy drinking. Most schools conducted targeted alcohol education and invested in institutional prevention efforts; half conducted social norms campaigns; a sizeable minority…

  13. Oral Cancer Risk Behaviors among Indiana College Students: A Formative Research Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Raychowdhury, Swati; Lohrmann, David K.

    2008-01-01

    Objectives: In fall 2004, the authors used a survey to assess the knowledge, attitudes, motivations, and behaviors of college students relative to oral cancer prevention to inform development of targeted prevention programming. Participants: A convenience sample of 1,003 undergraduate students at one public university in Indiana participated.…

  14. Assessing the Impact of First-Year Experience Courses on Student Success in Community and Technical Colleges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robertson, Luv'Tesha L.

    2016-01-01

    This study examined the impact first-year experience courses have on first-year student performance when enrolled in these courses at public community and technical colleges in Kentucky. The target population for this research study was composed of freshman students participating in the course compared to students not participating in the same…

  15. Sex, college major, and attribution of responsibility in empathic responding to persons with HIV infection.

    PubMed

    Bécares, Laia; Turner, Castellano

    2004-10-01

    This investigation studied the influence of sex, college major, and attributed responsibility on college students' empathic responding towards persons infected with HIV. We hypothesized that (1) women would score higher on empathy than men; (2) nursing and psychology majors would score higher on empathy than business and computer science majors; and (3) participants would score higher on empathy towards a target who contracted HIV through blood transfusion (presented as a Nonresponsible target) rather than through unprotected sex (presented as a Responsible target). Two hundred and fifty-eight undergraduate students (110 male, 148 female) attending a large urban university in the northeast filled out an anonymous demographic questionnaire, the Interpersonal Reactivity Index of Davis (1983), and an Empathy Reaction Scale that was developed by the authors. Results indicated a higher mean Empathy Reaction score from nursing and psychology students as compared to business and computer science students. There was no difference in Empathy Reaction scores between men and women. A higher Empathy Reaction score was found among participants who had read a diary from the target portrayed as Nonresponsible, as opposed to those who read a diary from the target portrayed as Responsible.

  16. Association between college health services and contraceptive use among female students at five colleges in Wuhan, China: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Long, Lu; Chen, Zhenhua; Shi, Yun; Wei, Sheng; Nie, Shaofa; Liu, Yi

    2016-09-05

    College students have a high incidence of unplanned pregnancies in China, which has highly raised public attention. As such, numerous reproductive health services are provided to college students. This study examined whether health services in college lead to contraceptive use among female college students in heterosexual relationships. A self-administered questionnaire survey with cross-sectional design was administered among female students in four colleges in Wuhan, China to identify health service factors associated with contraceptive use in the past 6 months. The analysis revealed that younger female students had lower odds of contraception use, whereas students who reported availability of health-related web sites were more likely to use contraceptives. Female students who reported that contraceptives and birth control counselling were accessible from college health services had greater odds of contraceptive usage. Finally, provision of contraceptives and birth control counselling from school were associated with greater odds of contraceptive use. Contraceptive-related health services play an important role in reducing unintended pregnancies by directly addressing the contraceptive needs of female students. Programs that provide targeted services may help to reduce high rates of unexpected pregnancies among female students in China.

  17. Designing Interdisciplinary Assessments in Sciences for College Students: An example on osmosis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shen, Ji; Liu, Ou Lydia; Sung, Shannon

    2014-07-01

    College science education needs to foster students' habit of mind beyond disciplinary constraints. However, little research has been devoted to assessing students' interdisciplinary understanding. To address this problem, we formed a team of experts from different disciplines to develop interdisciplinary assessments that target introductory college-level science. We started our project by focusing on osmosis, a topic that involves knowledge from multiple science disciplines. We developed an instrument focusing on this topic and administered it to 3 classes of college students. A Rasch partial credit analysis showed that the items demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties. The findings also revealed the differences between student's disciplinary and interdisciplinary understanding. The educational implications of the study were discussed.

  18. Topologies of an Effective Mentoring Model: At the Intersection of Community Colleges, Underrepresented Students, and Completion

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leslie, Janet Lee

    2012-01-01

    This evidenced-based study was conducted using a systemic review of the literature to verify scholarly consensus about the effectiveness of mentoring as an intervention to impact college completion for underrepresented students in a community college setting. The study explored the impact of having access to mentors for the target population:…

  19. The Impact of a Cohort-Based Learning Model on Student Success within Vocational Technical Certificates at a Community College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oldham, Todd M.

    2017-01-01

    Workforce practitioners within community colleges are increasingly faced with pressures from business and industry to offer academic and career oriented programs targeted to the workforce needs of local industry. Most recently, there has been a call from both industry and the White House for community colleges to complete more students in…

  20. Preparing High School Students for College: An Exploratory Study of College Readiness Partnership Programs in Texas. Executive Summary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barnett, Elisabeth A.; Corrin, William; Nakanishi, Aki; Bork, Rachel Hare; Mitchell, Claire; Sepanik, Susan

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents an executive summary of a study that examines a number of college readiness partnership programs operating in Texas and identifies their features, targeted students, and intended outcomes. It also examines the partnerships that created these programs. The findings presented here are based on a search and analysis of the…

  1. Review of hookah tobacco smoking among college students: policy implications and research recommendations.

    PubMed

    Gathuru, Irene M; Tarter, Ralph E; Klein-Fedyshin, Michele

    2015-01-01

    About 30% of college students have smoked hookah tobacco. Although most students perceive this product to be innocuous and non-addictive, hookah tobacco increases the risk for disease and nicotine dependence. Currently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate the manufacture, distribution, or sale of hookah tobacco. Empirical literature pertaining to hookah tobacco smoking is reviewed with a focus on the implications for regulatory policy. PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus databases were searched to locate articles published in English. The literature search combined several key words including "hookahs", "college", "advertising", "health effects", and "health policy". Smoking hookah tobacco may play a role in the initiation of smoking among tobacco-naïve college students and may portend persistent smoking among those who have smoked cigarettes. College students are typically nondaily, social smokers. They do not perceive that their heightened risk for tobacco diseases and nicotine dependence relates to their smoking behavior. However, few public health messages target college-age adults to counter media messages that endorse hookah tobacco smoking. Given that the FDA is not authorized to ban specific tobacco products, policy actions should focus on the development of effective risk communication strategies that target college-age adults and on limiting the accessibility of hookah tobacco products to these adults. Accordingly, a research agenda that would inform these policy actions is proposed.

  2. Environmental Approaches to Prevention in College Settings

    PubMed Central

    Saltz, Robert F.

    2011-01-01

    Because of concerns regarding drinking among college students and its harmful consequences, numerous prevention efforts have been targeted to this population. These include individual-level and community-level interventions, as well as other measures (e.g., online approaches). Community-level interventions whose effects have been evaluated in college populations include programs that were developed for the community at large as well as programs aimed specifically at college students, such as A Matter of Degree, the Southwest DUI Enforcement Project, Neighborhoods Engaging With Students, the Study to Prevent Alcohol-Related Consequences, and Safer California Universities. Evaluations of these programs have found evidence of their effectiveness in reducing college drinking and related consequences. The most effective approaches to reducing alcohol consumption among college students likely will blend individual-, group-, campus-, and community-level prevention components. PMID:22330219

  3. American River College Beacon Project: Student Catalyst Program - Peer Assisted Learning. First Semester Summary Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    American River Coll., Sacramento, CA.

    The Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) Project at American River College (ARC) in Sacramento, California, was developed to improve retention rates among underrepresented students in math and science classes with high dropout rates. The project involved a group of 24 paid student Learning Assistants (LA's) who successfully completed the targeted courses…

  4. First-Year College Students' Time Use: Relations With Self-Regulation and GPA

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thibodeaux, Jordan; Deutsch, Aaron; Kitsantas, Anastasia; Winsler, Adam

    2017-01-01

    How students manage their time is critical for academic performance and is an important component of self-regulated learning. The purpose of the present study was to examine relationships among first-year college students' (N = 589) time use, academic self-regulation, and target and actual grade point average (GPA) at three time points. Findings…

  5. Serving Community College Students: Student Preparation, Development and Growth through the REU Experience

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, C. S.; Osborn, J.; Smith, M.

    2014-12-01

    Effectively recruiting and engaging community college students in STEM research experiences is an increasingly important goal of the NSF but has not historically been the primary focus of most NSF-REU Site programs. The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Earth and Environmental Sciences (SURFEES) program at Chapman University, a primarily undergraduate institution in Southern California, is the site of the first NSF-REU program in the NSF's Division of Earth Sciences that selects participants exclusively from local partnering community colleges. Building on and now running parallel with a successful internally-funded summer research program already in place and available only to Chapman undergraduates, the SURFEES program incorporates specific mentor and participant pre-experience training, pre-, mid-, and post-assessment instruments, and programming targeted to the earth and environmental sciences as well as to community college students. Perhaps most importantly, the application, selection and pairing of student participants with faculty mentors was conducted with specific goals of identifying those applicants with the greatest potential for a transformative experience while also meeting self-defined targets of under-represented minority, female, and low-income participants. Initial assessment results of the first participant cohort from summer 2014 and lessons learned for creating/adapting an NSF-REU site to involve community college students will be discussed.

  6. Positive changes in perceptions and selections of healthful foods by college students after a short-term point-of-selection intervention at a dining hall.

    PubMed

    Peterson, Sharon; Duncan, Diana Poovey; Null, Dawn Bloyd; Roth, Sara Long; Gill, Lynn

    2010-01-01

    Determine the effects of a short-term, multi-faceted, point-of-selection intervention on college students' perceptions and selection of 10 targeted healthful foods in a university dining hall and changes in their self-reported overall eating behaviors. 104 college students, (age 18-23) completed pre-I and post-I surveys. Pre-survey collected at dining hall in April 2007, followed by 3-week intervention then post-survey collected via email. Healthy choice indicators, large signs, table tents, flyers and colorful photographs with "benefit-based messages" promoted targeted foods. Response rate to both surveys was 38%. Significantly more participants reported that healthful choices were clearly identified in the dining hall after the intervention. Over 20% of participants reported becoming more aware of healthful food choices in the dining hall after the intervention. Significant increases in self-reported intake were reported for cottage cheese and low-fat salad dressing, with a trend toward increased consumption of fresh fruit. Seven of the 14 assessed eating behaviors had significant changes in the desired direction. Increased awareness of healthful foods was the top reason for self-reported changes in overall eating behaviors. Short-term, multi-faceted, point-of-selection marketing of healthful foods in university dining halls may be beneficial for improving college students' perceptions and selections of targeted healthful foods in the dining hall and may improve overall eating behaviors of college students.

  7. Descriptive and injunctive norms of waterpipe smoking among college students.

    PubMed

    Leavens, Eleanor L S; Brett, Emma I; Morgan, Taylor L; Lopez, Susanna V; Shaikh, Raees A; Leffingwell, Thad R; Wagener, Theodore L

    2018-02-01

    Smoking tobacco via a waterpipe (WP) is on the rise, particularly among college students. One reason for this may be normative perceptions of WP tobacco smoking (WTS) among this population. The current study examined the perceived and actual descriptive and injunctive norms of WTS among a college student sample. Participants were 894 college students enrolled at a large, Midwestern university. Participants completed measures of WTS frequency and quantity and perceived/actual descriptive and injunctive norms of WTS. Over one-third of the sample reported ever trying WTS, while only 2% reported current (past month) use. When comparing ever and never WP smokers, ever smokers reported greater perceived peer approval of WTS. Both males and females overestimated WTS frequency of same-sex students at their university. The current study is one of the first to investigate descriptive and injunctive norms of WTS among college students. Students who report WTS are more likely to overestimate descriptive norms of WTS among their peers, suggesting corrective normative feedback regarding actual use by peers may be an important target for WTS intervention among college students. Future research should investigate the temporal association between normative perceptions and WTS behaviors among college students. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Community College Student Retention: Determining the Effects of a Comprehensive Support and Access Intervention Program Targeting Low-Income and Working Poor at a Large Urban Minority-Serving Institution

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saltiel, Henry

    2011-01-01

    A quasi-experiment using quantitative methods was conducted to examine the effects on academic student outcomes when a cohort of employed low-SES community college commuter students (the treatment group, N=198) participated in a comprehensive support and access intervention program, compared with similar students (the matched comparison group,…

  9. More Useful, or Not so Bad? Evaluating the Effects of Interventions to Reduce Perceived Cost and Increase Utility Value with College Physics Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosenzweig, Emily Quinn

    2017-01-01

    In the present study I developed and evaluated the effects of two interventions designed to target students' motivation to learn in an introductory college physics course. One intervention was designed to improve students' perceptions of utility value and the other was designed to reduce students' perceptions of cost. Utility value and cost both…

  10. Math-oriented fields of study and the race gap in graduation likelihoods at elite colleges.

    PubMed

    Gelbgiser, Dafna; Alon, Sigal

    2016-07-01

    This study examines the relationship between chosen field of study and the race gap in college completion among students at elite colleges. Fields of study are characterized by varying institutional arrangements, which impact the academic performance of students in higher education. If the effect of fields on graduation likelihoods is unequal across racial groups, then this may account for part of the overall race gap in college completion. Results from a large sample of students attending elite colleges confirm that fields of study influence the graduation likelihoods of all students, above and beyond factors such as students' academic and social backgrounds. This effect, however, is asymmetrical: relative to white students, the negative effect of the institutional arrangements of math-oriented fields on graduation likelihood is greater for black students. Therefore, the race gap is larger within math-oriented fields than in other fields, which contributes to the overall race gap in graduation likelihoods at these selective colleges. These results indicate that a nontrivial share of the race gap in college completion is generated after matriculation, by the environments that students encounter in college. Consequently, policy interventions that target field of study environments can substantially mitigate racial disparities in college graduation rates. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Successfully recruiting, surveying, and retaining college students: a description of methods for the Risk, Religiosity, and Emerging Adulthood Study.

    PubMed

    Berry, Devon M; Bass, Colleen P

    2012-12-01

    The selection of methods that purposefully reflect the norms of the target population increases the likelihood of effective recruitment, data collection, and retention. In the case of research among college students, researchers' appreciation of college student norms might be skewed by unappreciated generational and developmental differences. Our purpose in this article is to illustrate how attention to the generational and developmental characteristics of college students enhanced the methods of the Risk, Religiosity, and Emerging Adulthood study. We address the following challenges related to research with college students: recruitment, communication, data collection, and retention. Solutions incorporating Internet-based applications (e.g., Facebook) and sensitivity to the generational norms of participants (e.g., multiple means of communication) are described in detail. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Coaching for College Students with ADHD.

    PubMed

    Prevatt, Frances

    2016-12-01

    Evidence suggests that ADHD can impair academic achievement in college students and throughout the life span. College students with ADHD are an at-risk population who might benefit from interventions. An offshoot of CBT-oriented therapy that has grown significantly and gained popularity in recent years is ADHD coaching. ADHD coaching is a psychosocial intervention that helps individuals develop skills, strategies, and behaviors to cope with the core impairments associated with ADHD. Most coaching programs are primarily based on a CBT approach and target planning, time management, goal setting, organization, and problem solving. This paper describes ADHD coaching for college students and discusses how coaching is different from standard CBT treatment. This is followed by a review of empirical studies of the effectiveness of ADHD coaching for college students. Finally, some specific considerations and procedures used in coaching are described.

  13. Validation of the Spanish Version of the Emotional Skills Assessment Process (ESAP) with College Students in Mexico

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Teliz Triujeque, Rosalia

    2009-01-01

    The major purpose of the study was to determine the construct validity of the Spanish version of the Emotional Skills Assessment Process (ESAP) in a targeted population of agriculture college students in Mexico. The ESAP is a self assessment approach that helps students to identify and understand emotional intelligence skills relevant for…

  14. Teaching Critical Questions about Argumentation through the Revising Process: Effects of Strategy Instruction on College Students' Argumentative Essays

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Song, Yi; Ferretti, Ralph P.

    2013-01-01

    The effects of self-regulated strategy development revising instruction for college students that targeted the use of argumentation schemes and critical questions were assessed in three conditions. In the first condition, students were taught to revise their essays by asking and answering critical questions about the "argument from consequences"…

  15. LGBT Discrimination on Campus and Heterosexual Bystanders: Understanding Intentions to Intervene

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dessel, Adrienne B.; Goodman, Kevin D.; Woodford, Michael R.

    2017-01-01

    Discrimination targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students on college campuses occurs. Bystander intervention is important in supporting targeted students and improving campus climate for LGBT students. Peer-familiarity context (i.e., who the bystander knows in the situation) can play a role in bystander intervention, but…

  16. The nature and extent of college student hazing.

    PubMed

    Allan, Elizabeth J; Madden, Mary

    2012-01-01

    This study explored the nature and extent of college student hazing in the USA. Hazing, a form of interpersonal violence, can jeopardize the health and safety of students. Using a web-based survey, data were collected from 11,482 undergraduate students, aged 18-25 years, who attended one of 53 colleges and universities. Additionally, researchers interviewed 300 students and staff at 18 of the campuses. Results reveal hazing among USA college students is widespread and involves a range of student organizations and athletic teams. Alcohol consumption, humiliation, isolation, sleep-deprivation and sex acts are hazing practices common across student groups. Furthermore, there is a large gap between the number of students who report experience with hazing behaviors and those that label their experience as hazing. To date, hazing prevention efforts in post-secondary education have focused largely on students in fraternities/sororities and intercollegiate athletes. Findings from this study can inform development of more comprehensive and research-based hazing prevention efforts that target a wider range of student groups. Further, data can serve as a baseline from which to measure changes in college student hazing over time.

  17. A Blueprint for Student Recruitment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chamberlain, Frank M.

    1977-01-01

    A marketing plan from the Young Presidents' Organization Task Force is offered: define the market; identify the target student; clarify the college selection process; assess the competition; define the college in terms of market needs; develop a recruiting strategy; develop objectives for the year; spell out the tactics; and manage for results.…

  18. Tuberculosis Screening and Targeted Testing of College and University Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Journal of American College Health, 2011

    2011-01-01

    Screening and targeted testing for tuberculosis (TB) is a key strategy for controlling and preventing infection on college and university campuses. Early detection provides an opportunity to promote the health of affected individuals through prompt diagnosis and treatment while preventing potential spread to others. Implementation of a screening…

  19. Streamline and Improve the Targeting of Education Tax Benefits

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Institute for College Access & Success, 2014

    2014-01-01

    This one-page document presents The Institute for College Access & Success' (TICAS') recommendations for ways to improve the targeting of higher education tax benefits. The TICAS white paper, "Aligning the Means and the Ends: How to Improve Federal Student Aid and Increase College Access and Success," recommends almost entirely…

  20. Marketing Plan, 1980-81.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hoppe, Sherry; Biggers, Paul

    A marketing program for Chattanooga State Technical Community College (CSTCC) is presented as a guide to be used by the college in increasing its share of the traditional college-age market and in expanding the college's target audience to include more non-traditional students. The report first presents a review of the literature concerning…

  1. What Colleges Are Doing About Student Binge Drinking: A Survey of College Administrators.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wechsler, Henry; Kelley, Kathleen; Weitzman, Elissa R.; San Giovanni, John Paul; Seibring, Mark

    2000-01-01

    Surveyed college administrators about how colleges were preventing binge drinking. There was widespread prevention involving general alcohol education, restricting advertising at sporting events, and allocating alcohol-free living spaces. Programming was less prevalent for more targeted alcohol education, social norms campaigns, outreach, and…

  2. An examination of college student wellness: A research and liberal arts perspective

    PubMed Central

    Baldwin, Debora R; Towler, Kerry; Oliver, Michael D; Datta, Subimal

    2017-01-01

    Promoting wellness within academia reduces disease frequency and enhances overall health. This study examined wellness factors among undergraduate students attending a research university (n = 85) or a small liberal arts college (n = 126). Participants were administered surveys which measured physical, emotional, social, intellectual, and occupational wellness. Significant institutional differences emerged on measures of physical and social wellness. When collapsed across academic institutions, students who were gainfully employed reported greater self-efficacy compared with unemployed students. Gender differences emerged on measures of physical and social well-being. Our findings support the need for targeted interventions that facilitate enhanced college student development and well-being. PMID:29379611

  3. An examination of college student wellness: A research and liberal arts perspective.

    PubMed

    Baldwin, Debora R; Towler, Kerry; Oliver, Michael D; Datta, Subimal

    2017-01-01

    Promoting wellness within academia reduces disease frequency and enhances overall health. This study examined wellness factors among undergraduate students attending a research university ( n  = 85) or a small liberal arts college ( n  = 126). Participants were administered surveys which measured physical, emotional, social, intellectual , and occupational wellness. Significant institutional differences emerged on measures of physical and social wellness. When collapsed across academic institutions, students who were gainfully employed reported greater self-efficacy compared with unemployed students. Gender differences emerged on measures of physical and social well-being. Our findings support the need for targeted interventions that facilitate enhanced college student development and well-being.

  4. Using fear appeals in advertising for AIDS prevention in the college-age population.

    PubMed

    LaTour, M S; Pitts, R E

    1989-09-01

    A multiple-indicator model reveals the impact of AIDS prevention advertising on dimensions of arousal and subsequent cognitive impressions of the advertisement. Exploratory results obtained from a sample of college students indicate that levels of arousal and impressions of the advertisement vary according to emphasis on the deadly consequences of AIDS. These findings have strategic implications for addressing important target groups such as college students.

  5. A Comparison of Mental Health and Alcohol Use Between Traditional and Nontraditional Students.

    PubMed

    Trenz, Rebecca C; Ecklund-Flores, Lisa; Rapoza, Kimberly

    2015-01-01

    To describe differences in life stress, anxiety, depression, and alcohol use between traditional and nontraditional college students. A targeted, stratified sample of college students (N = 1,187; Mage = 23.96, SD = 7.30; female, 67.2%) completed study surveys in Spring 2011. Participants completed demographic information, life stress (Crisis in Family Systems), anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory), depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale), and alcohol use (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption) surveys during regularly scheduled class times. Fifty-three percent (n = 630) of study participants were nontraditional students. Nontraditional students scored significantly higher than traditional students on life stress (t[1182] = -3.05, p < .01), anxiety (t[1175] = -2.20, p < .05), and depression (t[1174] = -2.22, p < .05). Nontraditional and traditional students did not differ on alcohol use. Interventions for nontraditional college students should address the mental health issues specific to this growing college subpopulation.

  6. Athletic identity, descriptive norms, and drinking among athletes transitioning to college

    PubMed Central

    Grossbard, Joel R.; Geisner, Irene M.; Mastroleo, Nadine R.; Kilmer, Jason R.; Turrisi, Rob; Larimer, Mary E.

    2010-01-01

    College student–athletes are at risk for heavy alcohol consumption and related consequences. The present study evaluated the influence of college student and college athlete descriptive norms and levels of athletic identity on drinking and related consequences among incoming college students attending two universities (N = 1119). Prior to the beginning of their first year of college, students indicating high school athletic participation completed assessments of athletic identity, alcohol consumption, drinking-related consequences, and normative perceptions of alcohol use. Estimations of drinking by college students and student–athletes were significantly greater than self-reported drinking. Athletic identity moderated associations among gender, perceived norms, drinking, and related consequences. Athlete-specific norms had a stronger effect on drinking among those reporting higher levels of athletic identity, and higher levels of athletic identity exclusively protected males from experiencing drinking-related consequences. Implications of the role of athletic identity in the development of social norms interventions targeted at high school athletes transitioning to college are discussed. PMID:19095359

  7. Promoting or Perturbing Success: The Effects of Aid on Timing to Latino Students' First Departure from College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gross, Jacob P. K.

    2011-01-01

    Using event history modeling, this study explored to what extent loans, grants, institutional aid, and work-study affect timing to first departure for Latino college students. The goal is to understand more about how aid promotes or perturbs success for Latino students as well as how those effects vary over time. Federal grants and targeted loans…

  8. Interactive Ice Sheet Flowline Model for High School and College Students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stearns, L. A.; Rezvanbehbahani, S.; Shankar, S.

    2017-12-01

    Teaching about climate and climate change is conceptually challenging. While teaching tools and lesson plans are rapidly evolving to help teachers and students improve their understanding of climate processes, there are very few tools targeting ice sheet and glacier dynamics. We have built an interactive ice sheet model that allows students to explore how Antarctic glaciers respond to different climate perturbations. Interactive models offer advantages that are hard to obtain in traditional classroom settings; users can systematically investigate hypothetical situations, explore the effects of modifying systems, and repeatedly observe how systems interrelate. As a result, this project provides a much-needed bridge between the data and models used by the scientific community and students in high school and college. We target our instructional and assessment activities to three high school and college students with the overall aim of increasing understanding of ice sheet dynamics and the different ways that ice sheets are impacted by climate change, while also improving their fundamental math skills.

  9. What are other parents saying? Perceived parental communication norms and the relationship between alcohol-specific parental communication and college student drinking

    PubMed Central

    Napper, Lucy E.; Hummer, Justin F.; Lac, Andrew; LaBrie, Joseph W.

    2013-01-01

    This study examined parents’ normative perceptions of other college parents’ alcohol-specific communication, and how parents’ perceived communication norms and alcohol-specific communication relate to student drinking outcomes. A sample of 457 student-parent dyads were recruited from a mid-size university. Students completed web-based assessments of alcohol-related attitudes and behaviors. Parents completed alcohol-specific measures of communication norms and parent-child communication, including communication content (i.e., targeted communication) and frequency of communication. Results indicated that parents overestimated how much other parents talked to their college students about the frequency and quantity of alcohol use, but underestimated how often parents initiated conversations about alcohol. In a path model, perceived communication norms positively predicted both targeted communication and frequency of communication. Perceived communication norms and targeted communication negatively predicted students’ attitude toward alcohol use. In contrast, more frequent communication predicted students holding more approving attitudes toward alcohol. The relationship between parents’ perceived communication norms and students’ drinking behaviors was mediated by the parental communication variables and student attitudes. Tests of indirect effects were undertaken to examine meditational processes. The findings underscore relations involving parental perceived communication norms and parents’ own alcohol communication and their children’s drinking outcomes. The complex relationships of different types of parental communication and student outcomes warrant further research. PMID:24128293

  10. Prevention of Heavy Drinking and Associated Negative Consequences Among Mandated and Voluntary College Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fromme, Kim; Corbin, William

    2004-01-01

    The Lifestyle Management Class (LMC) was evaluated as a universal and targeted alcohol prevention program among voluntary and mandated college students. The relative efficacy of peer- and professional-led group interventions was also tested in this randomized, controlled design. LMC participants showed decreases in driving after drinking relative…

  11. Examining the Efficacy of a Personalized Normative Feedback Intervention to Reduce College Student Gambling

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Celio, Mark A.; Lisman, Stephen A.

    2014-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of a stand-alone personalized normative feedback (PNF) intervention targeting misperceptions of gambling among college students. Participants: Undergraduates (N = 136; 55% male) who reported gambling in the past 30 days were recruited between September 2011 and March 2012. Methods: Using a randomized clinical…

  12. F.O.R.E.play: the utility of brief sexual health interventions among college students.

    PubMed

    Moore, Erin W; Smith, William E; Folsom, Ashlee R B

    2012-01-01

    The authors aimed to determine the most effective brief sexual health intervention for college students, while also evaluating students' preferences for learning about sexual health, in order to develop a university program. A total of 302 students enrolled in an introductory college course participated and were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 brief interventions during a regularly scheduled class and completed pre- and postsurveys assessing knowledge, motivation to use condoms, and condom self-efficacy. Findings indicated that having an actual person in charge of the learning process resulted in higher knowledge gains and highlighted a student preference for discussion-based learning, viewing pictures of sexually transmitted infections, and hearing real-life experiences about the consequences of unsafe sex. These findings will be used to tailor a future intervention targeting college students for use with freshmen students at this university.

  13. Social networks, substance use, and mental health in college students.

    PubMed

    Mason, Michael J; Zaharakis, Nikola; Benotsch, Eric G

    2014-01-01

    The relationship between social network risk (alcohol-using close friends), perceived peer closeness, substance use, and psychiatric symptoms was examined to identify risk and protective features of college students' social context. Six hundred and seventy undergraduate students enrolled in a large southeastern university. An online survey was administered to consenting students. Students with risky networks were at a 10-fold increase of hazardous drinking, 6-fold increase for weekly marijuana use, and 3-fold increase for weekly tobacco use. College students' who feel very close to their peers were protected against psychiatric symptoms yet were at increased risk for marijuana use. Perceived closeness of peers was highly protective against psychiatric symptoms, adding a natural preventive effect for a population at great risk for mental illness. RESULTS support targeting college students through network-oriented preventive interventions to address substance use as well as mental health.

  14. Survey Development to Assess College Students' Perceptions of the Campus Environment.

    PubMed

    Sowers, Morgan F; Colby, Sarah; Greene, Geoffrey W; Pickett, Mackenzie; Franzen-Castle, Lisa; Olfert, Melissa D; Shelnutt, Karla; Brown, Onikia; Horacek, Tanya M; Kidd, Tandalayo; Kattelmann, Kendra K; White, Adrienne A; Zhou, Wenjun; Riggsbee, Kristin; Yan, Wangcheng; Byrd-Bredbenner, Carol

    2017-11-01

    We developed and tested a College Environmental Perceptions Survey (CEPS) to assess college students' perceptions of the healthfulness of their campus. CEPS was developed in 3 stages: questionnaire development, validity testing, and reliability testing. Questionnaire development was based on an extensive literature review and input from an expert panel to establish content validity. Face validity was established with the target population using cognitive interviews with 100 college students. Concurrent-criterion validity was established with in-depth interviews (N = 30) of college students compared to surveys completed by the same 30 students. Surveys completed by college students from 8 universities (N = 1147) were used to test internal structure (factor analysis) and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha). After development and testing, 15 items remained from the original 48 items. A 5-factor solution emerged: physical activity (4 items, α = .635), water (3 items, α = .773), vending (2 items, α = .680), healthy food (2 items, α = .631), and policy (2 items, α = .573). The mean total score for all universities was 62.71 (±11.16) on a 100-point scale. CEPS appears to be a valid and reliable tool for assessing college students' perceptions of their health-related campus environment.

  15. Correlates of college student binge drinking.

    PubMed

    Wechsler, H; Dowdall, G W; Davenport, A; Castillo, S

    1995-07-01

    This study examines the individual correlates of college student binge drinking. Questionnaires were completed by a representative national sample (n = 17,592) of students on 140 campuses in 1993. Binge drinking was defined as five or more drinks per episode for men and as four or more drinks per episode for women. Overall, 44% of the students (50% of the men and 39% of the women) binged. While demographic factors such as sex and race were significantly related to binge drinking, prior binging in high school was crucial, suggesting that for many students, binge drinking begins before college. The strongest predictors of college binge drinking were residence in a fraternity or sorority, adoption of a party-centered life-style, and engagement in other risky behaviors. Interventions must be targeted at high school binge drinking as well as at several characteristics of college life--most notably fraternity residence. Legal drinking age fails to predict binge drinking, raising questions about the effectiveness of the legal minimum drinking age of 21 in college alcohol policies.

  16. Overweight and Physical Inactivity Among African American Students at a Historically Black University.

    PubMed

    Sa, Jaesin; Heimdal, James; Sbrocco, Tracy; Seo, Dong-Chul; Nelson, Beatrice

    2016-02-01

    Little is known about correlates of overweight, obesity, and physical inactivity among African American students at historically Black colleges and universities. To assess overweight, obesity, and physical inactivity among African American college students at a historically Black university in Maryland in the USA. Data were collected from 268 African American college students in 2013. Data were analyzed with percentage difference z-tests, chi-square tests, and multiple logistic regression. Cross-sectional survey (student response rate = 49.9%). The overweight/obesity rate of participants was 47.5%, which was higher than that of the U.S. college student population overall (34.1%) and a representative sample of African American college students (38.3%). When age and sex were controlled, a family history of obesity, skipping breakfast, drinking caffeinated drinks, lower family income, and smoking a pipe, cigars, or cigarettes daily were significant correlates of overweight (obesity included). The percentage of physical inactivity was 68.3, and physical inactivity was higher among women and overweight or obese students. Given the high overweight and obesity prevalence among African American college students, historically Black colleges and universities in the USA should increase health promotion efforts targeting weight-related behaviors, particularly physical activity. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  17. Suicide ideation among college students: A multivariate analysis

    PubMed Central

    Arria, Amelia M.; O’Grady, Kevin E.; Caldeira, Kimberly M.; Vincent, Kathryn B.; Wilcox, Holly C.; Wish, Eric D.

    2009-01-01

    Objectives To develop a multi-dimensional model that might explain college suicide ideation. Methods Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 1,249 first-year college students. Results An estimated 6% wt of first-year students at this university had current suicide ideation. Depressive symptoms, low social support, affective dysregulation, and father-child conflict were each independently associated with suicide ideation. Only 40%wt of individuals with suicide ideation were classified as depressed according to standard criteria. In the group who reported low levels of depressive symptoms, low social support and affective dysregulation were important predictors of suicide ideation. Alcohol use disorder was also independently associated with suicide ideation, while parental conflict was not. Conclusions Results highlight potential targets for early intervention among college students. PMID:19590997

  18. Planning Developmental Interventions for Adult Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Champagne, Delight E.

    Student affairs professionals have come to realize that the student body on college campuses is changing. Adult students are filling the spaces left vacant by a diminishing traditional-aged student population. Interventions in student affairs, however, are often targeted for the specific developmental tasks of the traditional student. Student…

  19. Impact of Study Skills and Parent Education on First-Year GPA Among College Students With and Without ADHD: A Moderated Mediation Model.

    PubMed

    Gormley, Matthew J; Pinho, Trevor; Pollack, Brittany; Puzino, Kristina; Franklin, Melanie K; Busch, Chelsea; DuPaul, George J; Weyandt, Lisa L; Anastopoulos, Arthur D

    2018-02-01

    To test if the relationship between ADHD and academic achievement is mediated by service utilization and/or study skills, and if these mediation effects are moderated by parental education level. A bootstrapping method within structural equation modeling was used with data from 355 first year college students meeting strict criteria for ADHD or clearly without ADHD to test the mediation and moderation effects. Study skills, but not service utilization, significantly mediated the relationship between ADHD status and GPA; however, this relationship was not significant among students with at least one parent holding a master's degree or higher. Among first year college students study skills may be a more salient predictor of educational outcomes relative to ADHD status. Additional research into support services for college students with ADHD is needed, however, results suggest interventions targeting study skills may hold particular promise for these students.

  20. An Empirical Study on Non-English Majors' Ability to Express Chinese Culture in English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Min

    2014-01-01

    Cross-cultural communicative ability is an important ability that college students should have in modern society. A successful cross-cultural communication is based on several factors. The basic one is the understanding of the target language culture. In order to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings it is necessary for college students to know…

  1. Targeting Behaviors and Student Success: A Q&A

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frankfort, Jill; Maslin, Adrienne; O'Hara, Ross

    2015-01-01

    Across the U.S., an estimated 60% of incoming community college students require developmental courses to be ready for college-level work, according to estimates by experts. As these courses act as a gateway to further studies, those who fail are most often lost to higher education: Less than a quarter will earn a degree or certificate within…

  2. Mindfulness: Facet Relationships with Anxiety and Depression in College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dredze, Joshua Menachem

    2017-01-01

    College students have been shown to be highly stressed and experience depression and anxiety. Over the last two to three decades, mindfulness has emerged as a widely accepted and used therapy for a range of disorders including depression and anxiety. More recently, second order research has targeted the causes or mechanisms of action underlying…

  3. An Examination of the Validity of Prerequisites in the Criminal Justice Curriculum at Kirkwood Community College.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koefoed, Julius O., Jr.

    A study using students' grades was conducted to examine the validity of the prerequisites for the Criminal Justice Curriculum at Kirkwood Community College (Cedar Rapids, IA). Using transcripts of all students who had enrolled in selected courses targeted as needing prerequisites, a random sample was obtained, tabulated, and analyzed. The study…

  4. Turning Techno-Savvy into Info-Savvy: Authentically Integrating Information Literacy into the College Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Cecelia; Murphy, Teri J.; Nanny, Mark

    2003-01-01

    It is no longer effective to provide information literacy instruction that is thought to be "good for" college students, but rather, instruction must focus on the learning styles and preferences of the target population. This case study reports a series of hands-on/minds-on information literacy activities that dissolve student's misconception that…

  5. CYBERBULLYING BEHAVIORS AMONG FEMALE COLLEGE STUDENTS: WITNESSING, PERPETRATION, AND VICTIMIZATION.

    PubMed

    Selkie, Ellen M; Kota, Rajitha; Moreno, Megan

    2016-01-01

    Cyberbullying is common among adolescents, and emerging studies also describe this phenomenon in college students. Less is known about specific cyberbullying behaviors and roles in cyberbullying incidents experienced by college females. 249 female students from 4 colleges completed online surveys assessing involvement in 11 specific cyberbullying behaviors in any of the following roles: bully, victim, or witness. Nearly half (n = 110, 44.2%) of participants had experienced cyberbullying in college as a bully, victim, witness, or combination of the three. The most commonly witnessed behaviors included "posting degrading comments or hate speech" and "posting explicit or unwanted pictures." Over one third of the witnesses were classified as bystanders who purely observed cyberbullying without participating. Cyberbullying is common among college women, with more people witnessing behaviors than participating. Given the large proportion of witnesses, mobilizing bystanders is a potential target for cyberbullying in the college population.

  6. CYBERBULLYING BEHAVIORS AMONG FEMALE COLLEGE STUDENTS: WITNESSING, PERPETRATION, AND VICTIMIZATION

    PubMed Central

    Selkie, Ellen M.; Kota, Rajitha; Moreno, Megan

    2017-01-01

    Problem Cyberbullying is common among adolescents, and emerging studies also describe this phenomenon in college students. Less is known about specific cyberbullying behaviors and roles in cyberbullying incidents experienced by college females. Methods 249 female students from 4 colleges completed online surveys assessing involvement in 11 specific cyberbullying behaviors in any of the following roles: bully, victim, or witness. Results Nearly half (n = 110, 44.2%) of participants had experienced cyberbullying in college as a bully, victim, witness, or combination of the three. The most commonly witnessed behaviors included “posting degrading comments or hate speech” and “posting explicit or unwanted pictures.” Over one third of the witnesses were classified as bystanders who purely observed cyberbullying without participating. Conclusions Cyberbullying is common among college women, with more people witnessing behaviors than participating. Given the large proportion of witnesses, mobilizing bystanders is a potential target for cyberbullying in the college population. PMID:28966413

  7. Using Computerized Bilingual Dictionaries To help Maximize English Vocabulary Learning at Japanese Colleges.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Loucky, John Paul

    2003-01-01

    Compares various computerized bilingual dictionaries for their relative effectiveness in helping Japanese college students at several language proficiency levels to access new English target vocabulary. (Author/VWL)

  8. Connecting to young adults: an online social network survey of beliefs and attitudes associated with prescription opioid misuse among college students.

    PubMed

    Lord, Sarah; Brevard, Julie; Budman, Simon

    2011-01-01

    A survey of motives and attitudes associated with patterns of nonmedical prescription opioid medication use among college students was conducted on Facebook, a popular online social networking Web site. Response metrics for a 2-week random advertisement post, targeting students who had misused prescription medications, surpassed typical benchmarks for online marketing campaigns and yielded 527 valid surveys. Respondent characteristics, substance use patterns, and use motives were consistent with other surveys of prescription opioid use among college populations. Results support the potential of online social networks to serve as powerful vehicles to connect with college-aged populations about their drug use. Limitations of the study are noted.

  9. Recruitment Strategies and Motivations for Sexually Transmitted Disease Testing Among College Students

    PubMed Central

    Williams, Jessica Roberts; Zenilman, Jonathan; Nanda, Joy P.; Mark, Hayley

    2009-01-01

    Objective The authors evaluated procedures for recruiting college students for sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing as part of a research study examining the impact of HSV serologic testing. Participants A convenience sample of 100 students was drawn from students aged 18 to 35 years enrolled at one university in a mid-Atlantic state between September 2004 and March 2006. Methods Six strategies were used to recruit students for participation in the study. Upon enrollment, participants were asked where they heard about the study. Students were also asked about their motivations for participation. Results Findings show that a significant recruitment strategy involves targeting places where students seek health care. Other effective strategies include those where information is directly provided to individuals. Most students were motivated to participate because of a possible past exposure to herpes simplex virus 2. Conclusions Targeting places where students seek health care and educating students about STDs are important strategies for recruiting students for STD testing. PMID:18980896

  10. College major, gender and heterosexism reconsidered under more controlled conditions.

    PubMed

    Fisher, Leslie E; Banik, Swagata

    2007-01-01

    To test the hypothesis that under controlled conditions respondent's gender and college major are related to heterosexism, four groups (n = 40 each)-male psychology majors, female psychology majors, male non-psychology majors, and female non-psychology majors-were formed from an initial sample of convenience (N = 1,947) of urban university students. Respondents were matched for age, race, college level, closeness of relationships to lesbian and gay men, religious affiliation, and religious attendance. Each student was requested to complete the Herek Attitude Scale towards Lesbians and Gay Men and these scores were subjected to a three factor (2x2x2) mixed analysis of variance. The three factors were respondent's gender, respondent's college major, and target's gender with repeated measures on target's gender. A significant respondent's gender by target's gender F(1/156) = 50.59, p < .001 interaction was observed. Male respondent's attitude toward gay males was significantly more negative than that of the other groups which did not differ significantly from one another. Significant main effects due to respondent's gender F(1/156) = 11.9, p < .001 and target's gender F(1/156) = 43.1, p < .001 were also observed. No significant college major effect F(1/156) = 1.60, p >.05 or interaction was found.

  11. Using Demographics and Statistics To Inform Target Audiences.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hastings, Janel Henriksen

    2000-01-01

    Reviews literature that explores the changing role of institutional research in community colleges and its increasing involvement in marketing and institutional advancement activities in two-year colleges. Describes ongoing efforts at a community college in Chicago to identify media resources used most frequently by students, and discusses how the…

  12. Right on Target

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Henderson, Nancy

    2008-01-01

    This article features the Target Community and Educational Services program, a salaried arrangement that allows students at McDaniel College to complete their studies while living with, and managing, clients with developmental disabilities. In what is believed to be the only arrangement of its kind in the U.S., full-time graduate students agree to…

  13. Student Target Marketing Strategies for Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lewison, Dale M.; Hawes, Jon M.

    2007-01-01

    As colleges and universities adopt marketing orientations to an ever-increasing extent, the relative merits of mass marketing and target marketing must also be explored. Researchers identify buyer types as potential students focused on quality, value or economy. On the other axis, learner types are described as those who focus on career,…

  14. Collaborative Testing as a Model for Addressing Equity in Student Success in STEM Classes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dileonardo, C.; James, B. R.

    2016-12-01

    Introductory Earth science classes at two-year colleges play a critical role as "gateway courses" for underrepresented student populations into undergraduate STEM programs. Students entering college underprepared in math and science typically receive their only exposure to science at the undergraduate level in introductory courses in the Earth and space sciences. In many colleges a huge disparity exists in these classes between success rates amongst students from groups traditionally represented in the STEM fields and those from underrepresented populations. Closing the equity gap in success in these courses is a major focus of many pilot projects nationally. This concern has also led to the adoption of new teaching and learning practices, based on research in learning, in introductory Earth science pedagogy. Models of teaching practices including greater engagement, active learning approaches, and collaborative learning structures seem to help with student achievement in introductory courses. But, whereas these practices might increase overall student success they have not proven to close the equity gap in achievement. De Anza a two-year college in the San Francisco bay area has a long history in the geology department of incorporating and testing teaching practices developed out of research in learning. Collaborative learning has infused every aspect of our learning approaches in the Earth sciences, including laboratory, fieldwork, and test preparation. Though these approaches seemed to have educational benefit the huge equity gap department-wide persisted between targeted and non-targeted populations. Three years ago collaborative testing models were introduced into our geology and meteorology classes. The mechanism included methods for directly comparing collaborative to individual testing. The net result was that targeted populations including African Americans, Latinos, and Filipinos increased steadily at around 3.5% per year from 66% to 73%. The overall success rates of the non-targeted groups remained between 84% and 86%. Preliminary analysis suggests that for disengaged students in the targeted populations the opportunity to collaborate on a portion of the actual test got them more involved in the collaborative process as it offers immediate tangible return on in-class success.

  15. Freshman year mental health symptoms and level of adaptation as predictors of Internet addiction: a retrospective nested case-control study of male Chinese college students.

    PubMed

    Yao, Bin; Han, Wei; Zeng, Lingxia; Guo, Xiong

    2013-12-15

    A retrospective nested case-control study was designed to explore whether freshman year mental health status and level of adaptation are predictors of Internet addiction. The study cohort was 977 college students at a university in northwest China. In the first college year, the students' mental health status and adaptation level were assessed using the Chinese College Student Mental Health Scale (CCSMHS) and the Chinese College Student Adjustment Scale (CCSAS). In the following 1-3 years, 62 Internet-addicted subjects were identified using Young's 8-item diagnostic questionnaire. Controls were matched for demographic characteristics. Using logistic regression analysis, freshman year mental health status, including factors such as somatization, anxiety, depression and self-contempt, and freshman year adaptive problems were found to be causal factors and predictors of Internet addiction. Freshman with features of depression, learning maladaptation and dissatisfaction could be an important target-intervention population for reducing Internet addiction. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Physical Activity Promotion on Campus: Using Empirical Evidence to Recommend Strategic Approaches to Target Female College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Milroy, Jeffrey J.; Orsini, Muhsin Michael; D'Abundo, Michelle Lee; Sidman, Cara Lynn; Venezia, Diana

    2015-01-01

    Problem: A large number of American adults do not meet national physical activity (PA) guidelines for aerobic PA and muscle strengthening. Similarly, many American college students, specifically females do not engage in regular PA. Self Determination Theory can provide a basis for investigating motivational processes of PA. The purpose of this…

  17. Parental Socio-Economic Status, Self-Concept and Gender Differences on Students' Academic Performance in Borno State Colleges of Education: Implications for Counselling

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goni, Umar; Bello, S.

    2016-01-01

    This is a survey study, designed to determine gender differences and socio-economic status, self-concept on students' academic performance in Colleges of Education, Borno State: Implications for counselling. The study set two research objectives, answered two research questions and tested two research hypotheses. The target population of this…

  18. Barriers and Strategies for Healthy Food Choices among American Indian Tribal College Students: A Qualitative Analysis.

    PubMed

    Keith, Jill F; Stastny, Sherri; Brunt, Ardith; Agnew, Wanda

    2018-06-01

    American Indian and Alaskan Native individuals experience disproportionate levels of chronic health conditions such as type 2 diabetes and overweight and obesity that are influenced by dietary patterns and food choices. Understanding factors that influence healthy food choices among tribal college students can enrich education and programs that target dietary intake. To build an understanding of factors that influence healthy food choices among tribal college students at increased risk for college attrition. A nonexperimental cohort design was used for qualitative descriptive analysis. Participants (N=20) were purposively sampled, newly enrolled, academically underprepared tribal college students enrolled in a culturally relevant life skills course at an upper Midwest tribal college between September 2013 and May 2015. Participant demographic characteristics included various tribal affiliations, ages, and number of dependents. Participant responses to qualitative research questions about dietary intake, food choices, self-efficacy for healthy food choices, psychosocial determinants, and barriers to healthy food choices during telephone interviews were used as measures. Qualitative analysis included prestudy identification of researcher bias/assumptions, audiorecording and transcription, initial analysis (coding), secondary analysis (sorting and identifying meaning), and verification (comparative pattern analysis). Qualitative analysis revealed a variety of themes and subthemes about healthy food choices. Main themes related to barriers included taste, food gathering and preparation, and difficulty clarifying healthy food choices. Main themes related to strategies included taste, cultural traditions and practices, and personal motivation factors. Qualitative analysis identified barrier and strategy themes that may assist nutrition and dietetics practitioners working with tribal/indigenous communities, tribal college educators and health specialists, and tribal community health workers who target health and dietary intake of American Indian and Alaskan Native students. Copyright © 2018 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. The Influence of Social Media on Addictive Behaviors in College Students.

    PubMed

    Steers, Mai-Ly N; Moreno, Megan A; Neighbors, Clayton

    2016-12-01

    Social media has become a primary way for college students to communicate aspects of their daily lives to those within their social network. Such communications often include substance use displays (e.g., selfies of college students drinking). Furthermore, students' substance use displays have been found to robustly predict not only the posters' substance use-related outcomes (e.g., consumption, problems) but also that of their social networking peers. The current review summarizes findings of recent literature exploring the intersection between social media and substance use. Specifically, we examine how and why such substance use displays might shape college students' internalized norms surrounding substance use and how it impacts their substance use-related behaviors. Additional social media-related interventions are needed in order to target reduction of consumption among this at-risk group. We discuss the technological and methodological challenges inherent to conducting research and devising interventions in this domain.

  20. Identifying the unmet needs of college students on the autism spectrum.

    PubMed

    Pinder-Amaker, Stephanie

    2014-01-01

    The number of students entering college with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) is expected to surge in coming years. The diagnostic features and psychiatric risks of ASD, coupled with the transitions and stresses that define college life, present extraordinary challenges for these students, their parents, and institutions of higher education. This article applies a bioecological framework for conceptualizing the systemic strengths and barriers at the secondary and postsecondary levels of education in supporting students with ASD. This theoretical orientation is used to illustrate the importance of offering services and programs in a more coordinated and fluid manner within and between systems to support students more effectively. Evidence-based programs, practices, and interventions associated with successful academic and mental health outcomes for youth and young adults with ASD, as well as for college students with mental health and other challenges, are reviewed for their applicability to the target population. It is proposed that more fluid transitions and improved mental health and academic outcomes for college students with ASD can be achieved by integrating elements from secondary and postsecondary educational systems and also from existing, effective approaches with youth and young adults. Building upon the disjointed, but promising, evidence from youth, young adult, and college mental health literatures, recommendations for developing more effective transition plans for students with ASD are proposed.

  1. Connecting to Young Adults: An Online Social Network Survey of Beliefs and Attitudes Associated With Prescription Opioid Misuse Among College Students

    PubMed Central

    Lord, Sarah; Brevard, Julie; Budman, Simon

    2011-01-01

    A survey of motives and attitudes associated with patterns of nonmedical prescription opioid medication use among college students was conducted on Facebook, a popular online social networking Web site. Response metrics for a 2-week random advertisement post, targeting students who had misused prescription medications, surpassed typical benchmarks for online marketing campaigns and yielded 527 valid surveys. Respondent characteristics, substance use patterns, and use motives were consistent with other surveys of prescription opioid use among college populations. Results support the potential of online social networks to serve as powerful vehicles to connect with college-aged populations about their drug use. Limitations of the study are noted. PMID:21190407

  2. Is It More Feeling or Thinking? The Influence of Affective and Cognitive Attitude on Adolescents' Intention to Engage in Binge Drinking.

    PubMed

    Boers, Elroy; Zebregs, Simon; Hendriks, Hanneke; Van Den Putte, Bas

    2018-04-25

    Previous work has revealed that interventions aiming to reduce adolescent binge drinking commonly focus on cognitive attitudes, but are insufficiently effective in changing binge-drinking intentions. The focus on these cognitive attitudes might be the reason for this insufficient success. That is, other work has revealed that affective attitudes have a stronger influence on binge-drinking intention than cognitive attitudes. However, this relation has so far only been found among traditional college students and pre-vocational school students, therewith neglecting another important population at risk, namely vocational community college students. This study examines whether affective attitudes are also significantly stronger influencers of binge-drinking intentions among vocational community college students. Using a sample of 298 vocational community college students (M age  = 17.63), the current study shows that affective attitudes were more strongly related to vocational community college students' intention to engage in binge drinking than cognitive attitudes. This finding indicates that the effectiveness of interventions targeting adolescent binge drinking can be improved by incorporating content elements concerning affective attitudes.

  3. A High School and Community College Articulation Agreement Targeting Disaffected Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Irvine, Jeff

    2017-01-01

    This study examined a linkage program between a secondary school and a community college in Ontario, Canada. The study sought to identify (a) appropriate success criteria to evaluate a high school-community college program and (b) the attributes that promote or ensure a program's sustainability. Though initially successful, the investigated…

  4. Recruitment of Students at the Community College.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duvall, Jose

    A variety of marketing strategies can be used to maintain and increase community college enrollments. First, marketing research can be conducted to find out about the college's real and perceived image; to get a clearer picture of the lifestyles, attitudes, and interests of its clientele; and to target adult groups who are seeking educational and…

  5. U in the driver seat : a peer-to-peer pilot program for decreasing car crashes by college students.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-09-01

    The goal of this project was to build a peer-to-peer (P2P) model, U in the Driver Seat, targeted toward the : college-aged audience at two college campuses. Researchers performed the following tasks: : conducted pre- and post-assessments of drivi...

  6. Applying TLC (a Targeted Learning Community) to Transform Teaching and Learning in Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Steiner, Hillary H.; Dean, Michelle L.; Foote, Stephanie M.; Goldfine, Ruth A.

    2013-01-01

    This article describes the development of a Targeted Learning Community (TLC) that supports first-year science students enrolled in a General Chemistry course. Drawing on student feedback and knowledge and expertise in their respective disciplines, four faculty members from two colleges at Kennesaw State University came together to develop a…

  7. How Much Foreign Language Is There in the Foreign Language Classroom?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duff, Patricia A.; Polio, Charlene G.

    1990-01-01

    Classroom observation of 13 college language courses and analysis of student questionnaire and teacher interview responses indicated that teachers varied widely in use of target language with a mean of 67.9 percent; language type, departmental policy, lesson content, and teacher training affected target language use; and students were generally…

  8. Infection in the Classroom: Parasites as Models to Teach Biology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seville, R. Scott; Couch, Lee; Seed, Richard; Chappell, Cynthia; Patton, Sharon

    2004-01-01

    The American Society of Parasitologists established a five-year plan to educate various groups about parasites and parasitology, which were targeted at K-12 students and teachers, college students and teachers and biologists in other disciplines. This program also developed the idea to host a symposium and workshop for these targeted groups.

  9. Using Solar Dynamics Observatory Data in the Classroom to Do Real Science -- A Community College Astronomy Laboratory Investigation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Scherrer, Deborah K.; Hildreth, S.; Lee, S.; Dave, T.; Scherrer, P. H.

    2013-07-01

    A partnership between Stanford University and Chabot Community College (Hayward, CA) has developed a series of laboratory exercises using SDO (AIA, HMI) data, targeted for community college students in an introductory astronomy lab class. The labs lead students to explore what SDO can do via online resources and videos. Students investigate their chosen solar events, generate their own online videos, prepare their own hypotheses relating to the events, and explore outcomes. Final assessment should be completed by the end of summer 2013. Should the labs prove valuable, they may be adapted for high school use.

  10. Substance use by college students: the role of intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation for athletic involvement.

    PubMed

    Rockafellow, Bradley D; Saules, Karen K

    2006-09-01

    Certain types of athletic involvement may confer risk for substance use by college students. This study investigated whether motivational factors play a role in the relationship between athletic involvement and substance use. Intercollegiate athletes (n=98) and exercisers (n=120) were surveyed about substance use and motivation for athletic involvement. Athletes and exercisers who were extrinsically motivated had significantly higher rates of alcohol use than their intrinsically motivated counterparts. Results suggest that college students who are extrinsically motivated for involvement in physical activity/athletics--particularly those involved in team sports--may be in need of targeted prevention efforts. ((c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).

  11. Canisius College Summer Science Camp: Combining Science and Education Experts to Increase Middle School Students' Interest in Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sheridan, Phillip M.; Szczepankiewicz, Steven H.; Mekelburg, Christopher R.; Schwabel, Kara M.

    2011-01-01

    The Canisius College Summer Science Camp is a successful and effective annual outreach program that specifically targets middle school students in an effort to increase their interest in science. Five broadly defined science topics are explored in a camp-like atmosphere filled with hands-on activities. A 2010 module focused on chemistry topics of…

  12. A Day in the Life of African American and European American College Students: Daily Affective Experience and Perceptions of Climate at a Predominantly White Institution

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Birk, Nancy Adair

    2009-01-01

    In the context of the under-representation of African Americans in higher education and the lawsuits targeting affirmative action policies in college admissions, the purpose of this study was to examine the daily affective experiences of African American and European American students at a predominantly White institution, exploring the activities…

  13. Gender Differences in Natural Language Factors of Subjective Intoxication in College Students: An Experimental Vignette Study

    PubMed Central

    Levitt, Ash; Schlauch, Robert C.; Bartholow, Bruce D.; Sher, Kenneth J.

    2013-01-01

    Background Examining the natural language college students use to describe various levels of intoxication can provide important insight into subjective perceptions of college alcohol use. Previous research (Levitt et al., 2009) has shown that intoxication terms reflect moderate and heavy levels of intoxication, and that self-use of these terms differs by gender among college students. However, it is still unknown whether these terms similarly apply to other individuals and, if so, whether similar gender differences exist. Method To address these issues, the current study examined the application of intoxication terms to characters in experimentally manipulated vignettes of naturalistic drinking situations within a sample of university undergraduates (N = 145). Results Findings supported and extended previous research by showing that other-directed applications of intoxication terms are similar to self-directed applications, and depend on the gender of both the target and the user. Specifically, moderate intoxication terms were applied to and from women more than men, even when the character was heavily intoxicated, whereas heavy intoxication terms were applied to and from men more than women. Conclusions The findings suggest that gender differences in the application of intoxication terms are other-directed as well as self-directed, and that intoxication language can inform gender-specific prevention and intervention efforts targeting problematic alcohol use among college students. PMID:23841828

  14. Gender differences in natural language factors of subjective intoxication in college students: an experimental vignette study.

    PubMed

    Levitt, Ash; Schlauch, Robert C; Bartholow, Bruce D; Sher, Kenneth J

    2013-12-01

    Examining the natural language college students use to describe various levels of intoxication can provide important insight into subjective perceptions of college alcohol use. Previous research (Levitt et al., Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2009; 33: 448) has shown that intoxication terms reflect moderate and heavy levels of intoxication and that self-use of these terms differs by gender among college students. However, it is still unknown whether these terms similarly apply to other individuals and, if so, whether similar gender differences exist. To address these issues, the current study examined the application of intoxication terms to characters in experimentally manipulated vignettes of naturalistic drinking situations within a sample of university undergraduates (n = 145). Findings supported and extended previous research by showing that other-directed applications of intoxication terms are similar to self-directed applications and depend on the gender of both the target and the user. Specifically, moderate intoxication terms were applied to and from women more than men, even when the character was heavily intoxicated, whereas heavy intoxication terms were applied to and from men more than women. The findings suggest that gender differences in the application of intoxication terms are other-directed as well as self-directed and that intoxication language can inform gender-specific prevention and intervention efforts targeting problematic alcohol use among college students. Copyright © 2013 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

  15. Increased self-efficacy for vegetable preparation following an online, skill-based intervention and in-class tasting experience as a part of a general education college nutrition course.

    PubMed

    Brown, Katie N; Wengreen, Heidi J; Vitale, Tamara S; Anderson, Janet B

    2011-01-01

    Assess the effectiveness of the integration of vegetable demonstration videos and tasting experiences into a college nutrition course to influence students' readiness to change vegetable intake, self-efficacy for vegetable preparation, and usual vegetable intake. Quasiexperimental, preintervention-postintervention comparisons. College nutrition course. Of the 376 students enrolled in the course, 186 completed the online assessments (145 female, 41 male; mean age, 20 years). Participants viewed online vegetable preparation videos and participated in vegetable tasting experiences that featured four target vegetables, one vegetable each month for 4 months. Preintervention and postintervention online surveys determined usual vegetable intake, readiness to change vegetable consumption, and self-efficacy of vegetable preparation. Chi-square distribution and paired sample t-tests were used to examine differences preintervention and postintervention. Stage of readiness to change vegetable intake shifted from contemplation toward preparation (p < .001). Self-efficacy of vegetable preparation increased and postintervention self-efficacy was associated with total and target vegetable consumption (p  =  .001 and p  =  .005, respectively). The average intake of asparagus, one of four target vegetables, increased (p  =  .016); similar changes were not observed for target or total vegetable consumption. Online vegetable demonstration videos may be an effective and cost-efficient intervention for increasing self-efficacy of vegetable preparation and readiness to increase vegetable consumption among college students. More research is needed to determine long-term effects on vegetable consumption.

  16. New optical engineering and instrument design programs at the University of California, Irvine Extension

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Silberman, Donn M.; Doushkina, Valentina V.

    2010-08-01

    Three years ago we reported on a new optics education program established at the Irvine Center for Applied Competitive Technologies (CACT) at the Advanced Technology and Education Park (ATEP) operated by the South Orange County Community College District (SOCCCD). This paper reports on new Optical Engineering and Instrument Design Programs now being offered through the University of California, Irvine Extension. While there are some similarities between the two programs, the differences are mainly the students' level. The community college level programs were targeted primarily at technicians and junior level engineers. The university level programs are targeted at senior level engineering and physical sciences university students, graduate and post graduate students and designers in industry. This paper reviews the reasons for establishing these certificate programs and their content, the students' motivations for taking them and their employers' incentives for encouraging the students.

  17. Similarities Between Deaf or Hard of Hearing and Hearing Students' Awareness of Affective Words' Valence in Written Language.

    PubMed

    Li, Degao; Zhang, Fan; Zeng, Xihong

    2016-01-01

    An affective priming task was used with two cohorts of college students, one deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH), the other hearing, in two experiments. The same set of affective-word targets, preceded by "※※" in Experiment 1 but by affective-word primes of the same valence as the targets in Experiment 2, were presented vertically above or below the screen center. Stimuli that preceded the targets were shown at the screen center. D/HH participants generally performed more poorly than hearing participants, but both groups performed similarly in that both did better on the positive targets than on the negative in both experiments, and on supporting metaphorical associations between valence and vertical positions (Meier & Robinson, 2004), as indicated by reaction times, in Experiment 2. The researchers concluded that D/HH and hearing college students perform similarly in developing cognition-grounded representations of affective words in written language.

  18. Health Behaviors and Health Status of At-Risk Latino Students for Diabetes

    PubMed Central

    Hurtado-Ortiz, Maria T.; Santos, Silvia; Reynosa, Astrid

    2012-01-01

    This research study examined the behavioral lifestyle patterns and health status of at-risk Latino college students for future diabetes onset in relation to their age, gender, and acculturation status. Participants were 156 Latino (34% male and 66% female) university students who had a first and/or second degree relative afflicted with diabetes. Findings indicated that Latino students exhibit similar lifestyle patterns in terms of dietary intake, physical activity, and drinking and smoking behaviors observed in the general and college population that have been linked to obesity—a particularly problematic risk factor among those who already have a genetic predisposition for diabetes. The reported findings are of importance for the development of culturally-relevant treatment interventions targeting young Latinos in college. PMID:26566366

  19. Health Behaviors and Health Status of At-Risk Latino Students for Diabetes.

    PubMed

    Hurtado-Ortiz, Maria T; Santos, Silvia; Reynosa, Astrid

    This research study examined the behavioral lifestyle patterns and health status of at-risk Latino college students for future diabetes onset in relation to their age, gender, and acculturation status. Participants were 156 Latino (34% male and 66% female) university students who had a first and/or second degree relative afflicted with diabetes. Findings indicated that Latino students exhibit similar lifestyle patterns in terms of dietary intake, physical activity, and drinking and smoking behaviors observed in the general and college population that have been linked to obesity-a particularly problematic risk factor among those who already have a genetic predisposition for diabetes. The reported findings are of importance for the development of culturally-relevant treatment interventions targeting young Latinos in college.

  20. Using Market Research to Characterize College Students and Identify Potential Targets for Influencing Health Behaviors

    PubMed Central

    Berg, Carla J.; Ling, Pamela M.; Guo, Hongfei; Windle, Michael; Thomas, Janet L.; Ahluwalia, Jasjit S.; An, Lawrence C.

    2013-01-01

    Marketing campaigns, such as those developed by the tobacco industry, are based on market research, which defines segments of a population by assessing psychographic characteristics (i.e., attitudes, interests). This study uses a similar approach to define market segments of college smokers, to examine differences in their health behaviors (smoking, drinking, binge drinking, exercise, diet), and to determine the validity of these segments. A total of 2,265 undergraduate students aged 18–25 years completed a 108-item online survey in fall 2008 assessing demographic, psychographic (i.e., attitudes, interests), and health-related variables. Among the 753 students reporting past 30-day smoking, cluster analysis was conducted using 21 psychographic questions and identified three market segments – Stoic Individualists, Responsible Traditionalists, and Thrill-Seeking Socializers. We found that segment membership was related to frequency of alcohol use, binge drinking, and limiting dietary fat. We then developed three messages targeting each segment and conducted message testing to validate the segments on a subset of 73 smokers representing each segment in spring 2009. As hypothesized, each segment indicated greater relevance and salience for their respective message. These findings indicate that identifying qualitatively different subgroups of young adults through market research may inform the development of engaging interventions and health campaigns targeting college students. PMID:25264429

  1. Using Market Research to Characterize College Students and Identify Potential Targets for Influencing Health Behaviors.

    PubMed

    Berg, Carla J; Ling, Pamela M; Guo, Hongfei; Windle, Michael; Thomas, Janet L; Ahluwalia, Jasjit S; An, Lawrence C

    2010-12-01

    Marketing campaigns, such as those developed by the tobacco industry, are based on market research, which defines segments of a population by assessing psychographic characteristics (i.e., attitudes, interests). This study uses a similar approach to define market segments of college smokers, to examine differences in their health behaviors (smoking, drinking, binge drinking, exercise, diet), and to determine the validity of these segments. A total of 2,265 undergraduate students aged 18-25 years completed a 108-item online survey in fall 2008 assessing demographic, psychographic (i.e., attitudes, interests), and health-related variables. Among the 753 students reporting past 30-day smoking, cluster analysis was conducted using 21 psychographic questions and identified three market segments - Stoic Individualists, Responsible Traditionalists, and Thrill-Seeking Socializers. We found that segment membership was related to frequency of alcohol use, binge drinking, and limiting dietary fat. We then developed three messages targeting each segment and conducted message testing to validate the segments on a subset of 73 smokers representing each segment in spring 2009. As hypothesized, each segment indicated greater relevance and salience for their respective message. These findings indicate that identifying qualitatively different subgroups of young adults through market research may inform the development of engaging interventions and health campaigns targeting college students.

  2. Sometimes, It Takes a Village

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Gwen; Heflin, David

    2015-01-01

    In this article, Gwen Taylor describes the West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC) groundbreaking program, "Accelerating Opportunity" (AO), which targeted students who are deficient in math, reading, or writing. The program uses the Washington State Board for Community & Technical Colleges' (2013) Integrated Basic…

  3. North American Christian Study Abroad Programs: Wheaton College and Whitworth University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scott, Lindy

    2015-01-01

    Study abroad programs are in vogue today, especially among Christian colleges and universities. It is, therefore, appropriate to ask tough questions of these programs. Do they help our students become more mature followers of Jesus? Are they respectful of people in the target culture? College and university leaders must focus in particular on how…

  4. Suicidal thoughts and behaviors among college students and same-aged peers: results from the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys.

    PubMed

    Mortier, Philippe; Auerbach, Randy P; Alonso, Jordi; Axinn, William G; Cuijpers, Pim; Ebert, David D; Green, Jennifer G; Hwang, Irving; Kessler, Ronald C; Liu, Howard; Nock, Matthew K; Pinder-Amaker, Stephanie; Sampson, Nancy A; Zaslavsky, Alan M; Abdulmalik, Jibril; Aguilar-Gaxiola, Sergio; Al-Hamzawi, Ali; Benjet, Corina; Demyttenaere, Koen; Florescu, Silvia; De Girolamo, Giovanni; Gureje, Oye; Haro, Josep Maria; Hu, Chiyi; Huang, Yueqin; De Jonge, Peter; Karam, Elie G; Kiejna, Andrzej; Kovess-Masfety, Viviane; Lee, Sing; Mcgrath, John J; O'neill, Siobhan; Nakov, Vladimir; Pennell, Beth-Ellen; Piazza, Marina; Posada-Villa, José; Rapsey, Charlene; Viana, Maria Carmen; Xavier, Miguel; Bruffaerts, Ronny

    2018-03-01

    The primary aims are to (1) obtain representative prevalence estimates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB) among college students worldwide and (2) investigate whether STB is related to matriculation to and attrition from college. Data from the WHO World Mental Health Surveys were analyzed, which include face-to-face interviews with 5750 young adults aged 18-22 spanning 21 countries (weighted mean response rate = 71.4%). Standardized STB prevalence estimates were calculated for four well-defined groups of same-aged peers: college students, college attriters (i.e., dropouts), secondary school graduates who never entered college, and secondary school non-graduates. Logistic regression assessed the association between STB and college entrance as well as attrition from college. Twelve-month STB in college students was 1.9%, a rate significantly lower than same-aged peers not in college (3.4%; OR 0.5; p < 0.01). Lifetime prevalence of STB with onset prior to age 18 among college entrants (i.e., college students or attriters) was 7.2%, a rate significantly lower than among non-college attenders (i.e., secondary school graduates or non-graduates; 8.2%; OR 0.7; p = 0.03). Pre-matriculation onset STB (but not post-matriculation onset STB) increased the odds of college attrition (OR 1.7; p < 0.01). STB with onset prior to age 18 is associated with reduced likelihood of college entrance as well as greater attrition from college. Future prospective research should investigate the causality of these associations and determine whether targeting onset and persistence of childhood-adolescent onset STB leads to improved educational attainment.

  5. SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS AND SAME-AGED PEERS: RESULTS FROM THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION WORLD MENTAL HEALTH SURVEYS

    PubMed Central

    MORTIER, PHILIPPE; AUERBACH, RANDY P.; ALONSO, JORDI; AXINN, WILLIAM G.; CUIJPERS, PIM; EBERT, DAVID D.; GREEN, JENNIFER G.; HWANG, IRVING; KESSLER, RONALD C.; LIU, HOWARD; NOCK, MATTHEW K.; PINDER-AMAKER, STEPHANIE; SAMPSON, NANCY A.; ZASLAVSKY, ALAN M.; ABDULMALIK, JIBRIL; AGUILAR-GAXIOLA, SERGIO; AL-HAMZAWI, ALI; BENJET, CORINA; DEMYTTENAERE, KOEN; FLORESCU, SILVIA; DE GIROLAMO, GIOVANNI; GUREJE, OYE; HARO, JOSEP MARIA; HU, CHIYI; HUANG, YUEQIN; DE JONGE, PETER; KARAM, ELIE G.; KIEJNA, ANDRZEJ; KOVESS-MASFETY, VIVIANE; LEE, SING; MCGRATH, JOHN J.; O’NEILL, SIOBHAN; NAKOV, VLADIMIR; PENNELL, BETH-ELLEN; PIAZZA, MARINA; POSADA-VILLA, JOSÉ; RAPSEY, CHARLENE; VIANA, MARIA CARMEN; XAVIER, MIGUEL; BRUFFAERTS, RONNY

    2018-01-01

    PURPOSE The primary aims are to (1) obtain representative prevalence estimates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB) among college students worldwide and (2) investigate whether STB is related to matriculation to and attrition from college. METHODS Data from the WHO World Mental Health Surveys were analyzed, which include face-to-face interviews with 5,750 young adults aged 18–22 spanning 21 countries (weighted mean response rate = 71.4%). Standardized STB prevalence estimates were calculated for four well-defined groups of same-aged peers: college students, college attriters (i.e., dropouts), secondary school graduates who never entered college, and secondary school non-graduates. Logistic regression assessed the association between STB and college entrance as well as attrition from college. RESULTS Twelve-month STB in college students was 1.9%, a rate significantly lower than same-aged peers not in college (3.4%; OR=0.5; p<0.01). Lifetime prevalence of STB with onset prior to age 18 among college entrants (i.e., college students or attriters) was 7.2%, a rate significantly lower than among non-college attenders (i.e., secondary school graduates or non-graduates; 8.2%; OR=0.7; p=0.03). Pre-matriculation onset STB (but not post-matriculation onset STB) increased the odds of college attrition (OR=1.7; p<0.01). CONCLUSION STB with onset prior to age 18 is associated with reduced likelihood of college entrance as well as greater attrition from college. Future prospective research should investigate the causality of these associations and determine whether targeting onset and persistence of childhood-adolescent onset STB leads to improved educational attainment. PMID:29340781

  6. Impact of health education on knowledge regarding human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

    PubMed

    Angadi, M M; Sorganvi, V S; Algur, V S

    2013-01-01

    The aims of the study were to determine the knowledge of HIV/AIDS among college girl students, to expose the college girl students to targeted HIV/AIDS education and to assess the impact of HIV/ AIDS health education on college girl students. A cross-sectional study was designed over the period September 2009 to February 2010. Study participants included 139 students of BLDEA's Arts and Commerce College for Women, Bijapur, Karnataka. Results indicated knowledge regarding HIV/ AIDS improved substantially, especially, with relation to various modes of transmission viz unsterilised syringes (41% to 72%), pregnant mother to child (23% to 66%) blood transfusion (20% to71%) and regarding preventive measures namely adherence to single partner (68% to 95%), use of condom (18% to 68%/), use of tested blood for transfusion (21% to 55%). The study showed significant difference between pre and post-test knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS

  7. Faculty Mentoring Undergraduates: The Nature, Development, and Benefits of Mentoring Relationships

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McKinsey, Elizabeth

    2016-01-01

    Educational research shows that close student-faculty interaction is a key factor in college student learning and success. Most literature on undergraduate mentoring, however, focuses on planned programs of mentoring for targeted groups of students by non-faculty professionals or student peers. Based on the research literature and student and…

  8. What the Student Does: Teaching for Enhanced Learning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Biggs, John

    1999-01-01

    The college teacher's job is to organize the teaching/learning context so all students use the higher-order learning processes that "academic" students always use. This is achieved when objectives express the kind of understanding targeted, teaching context encourages students to achieve it, and assessment tells students what is required of them…

  9. Relationship between fMRI response during a nonverbal memory task and marijuana use in college students.

    PubMed

    Dager, Alecia D; Tice, Madelynn R; Book, Gregory A; Tennen, Howard; Raskin, Sarah A; Austad, Carol S; Wood, Rebecca M; Fallahi, Carolyn R; Hawkins, Keith A; Pearlson, Godfrey D

    2018-04-26

    Marijuana (MJ) is widely used among college students, with peak use between ages 18-22. Research suggests memory dysfunction in adolescent and young adult MJ users, but the neural correlates are unclear. We examined functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) response during a memory task among college students with varying degrees of MJ involvement. Participants were 64 college students, ages 18-20, who performed a visual encoding and recognition task during fMRI. MJ use was ascertained for 3 months prior to scanning; 27 individuals reported past 3-month MJ use, and 33 individuals did not. fMRI response was modeled during encoding based on whether targets were subsequently recognized (correct encoding), and during recognition based on target identification (hits). fMRI response in left and right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and hippocampal regions of interest was examined between MJ users and controls. There were no group differences between MJ users and controls on fMRI response during encoding, although single sample t-tests revealed that MJ users failed to activate the hippocampus. During recognition, MJ users showed less fMRI response than controls in right hippocampus (Cohen's d = 0.55), left hippocampus (Cohen's d = 0.67) and left IFG (Cohen's d = 0.61). Heavier MJ involvement was associated with lower fMRI response in left hippocampus and left IFG. This study provides evidence of MJ-related prefrontal and hippocampal dysfunction during recognition memory in college students. These findings may contribute to our previously identified decrements in academic performance in college MJ users and could have substantial implications for academic and occupational functioning. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. HIV/STI associated risk behaviors among self-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender college students in the United States.

    PubMed

    Lindley, Lisa L; Nicholson, Thomas J; Kerby, Molly B; Lu, Ning

    2003-10-01

    An Internet survey was conducted during the 2001-2002 academic year to examine the health risk behaviors, including HIV/STI associated behaviors, of self-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) college students in the United States. A total of 450 LGBT college students completed the entire online survey. Most respondents attended a 4-year (96.9%), coeducational (98.6%), non-religiously affiliated (87.5%), public (68.6%) institution. Eighty-nine percent reported having sex with someone of the same sex and 45% had multiple (6 or more) sex partners during their lifetime. Most reported using a condom consistently during penile-vaginal (61%) and anal sex (63%). However, only 4% used a condom or other barrier consistently during oral sex and 28% used a condom or other barrier during their last sexual encounter. Injection drug use and needle-sharing behavior was low (2.1% and 1.1%, respectively). Comparisons with heterosexual college students' HIV/STI associated risk behaviors are included. Results may be useful for HIV/STI prevention programs targeting LGBT college students.

  11. Effect of Direct Exposure to Foreign Target Groups on Descriptive Stereotypes Held by American Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCrady, Richard E.; McCrady, Jean B.

    1976-01-01

    American college students (N=77) enrolled in a semester-at-sea program rated four target groups before and after exposure in their own national settings, on a rating instrument designed to discriminate between descriptive and evaluative judgments in stereotyping. The greatest change was in the stereotypic profile of the English. (Author)

  12. Examining Engineering & Technology Students' Acceptance of Network Virtualization Technology Using the Technology Acceptance Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yousif, Wael K.

    2010-01-01

    This causal and correlational study was designed to extend the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and to test its applicability to Valencia Community College (VCC) Engineering and Technology students as the target user group when investigating the factors influencing their decision to adopt and to utilize VMware as the target technology. In…

  13. A Study of the Impacts of Navigational Links, Task Complexity, and Experience with the Older User on Website Usability in a Community College Domain

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garrett, Robin Eileen

    2014-01-01

    Community colleges serve a diverse population of learners including many older students counting on the community college for enhanced skills or personal enrichment. Many of these colleges target this population with programs designed specifically to meet the needs and goals of the older adult but may not consider this population when designing a…

  14. Engaging nurse aide students to develop a survey to improve enrollment and retention in college.

    PubMed

    Boyd, Jamie Kamailani; Hernandez, Jesika Y; Braun, Kathryn L

    2011-01-01

    Students from lower socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds have historically experienced high rates of college dropout. Surveys often are used to assess supports and barriers (SB) to college enrollment and completion, and findings drive the design of interventions to improve student recruitment and retention. However, standard surveys may not include questions that solicit the breadth of issues facing low-income minority individuals. We used community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles to develop an SB survey to better reflect the concerns of rural, first-generation college students in Hawai'i. An advisory panel (AP) of students and community partners guided the work. The literature informed the first draft of the SB survey. Then we worked with students who had successfully completed a vocational Nurse Aide (NA) Training Program (NATP) course to refine four versions of the SB survey through multiple cycles of online survey review and focus groups. The final product included questions in new areas and differently phrased questions in standard areas (e.g., transportation, dependent care, housing, financial aid) to better capture reasons for students dropping out. The survey has proven useful as a student assessment tool, and findings are being used by instructors, counselors, and community partners to add resources and modify programs to increase student success in community college. Findings confirm the usefulness of engaging target partners in tool development. An enhanced understanding of SB of students from underrepresented groups will help to improve college recruitment and retention interventions.

  15. Tobacco, Marijuana, and Alcohol Use in University Students: A Cluster Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Primack, Brian A.; Kim, Kevin H.; Shensa, Ariel; Sidani, Jaime E.; Barnett, Tracey E.; Switzer, Galen E.

    2012-01-01

    Objective Segmentation of populations may facilitate development of targeted substance abuse prevention programs. We aimed to partition a national sample of university students according to profiles based on substance use. Participants We used 2008–2009 data from the National College Health Assessment from the American College Health Association. Our sample consisted of 111,245 individuals from 158 institutions. Method We partitioned the sample using cluster analysis according to current substance use behaviors. We examined the association of cluster membership with individual and institutional characteristics. Results Cluster analysis yielded six distinct clusters. Three individual factors—gender, year in school, and fraternity/sorority membership—were the most strongly associated with cluster membership. Conclusions In a large sample of university students, we were able to identify six distinct patterns of substance abuse. It may be valuable to target specific populations of college-aged substance users based on individual factors. However, comprehensive intervention will require a multifaceted approach. PMID:22686360

  16. Readiness to change sugar sweetened beverage intake among college students.

    PubMed

    Huffman, Laura; West, Delia Smith

    2007-01-01

    The prevalence of obesity is a topic of concern in the United States, especially among children and young adults, and there is also a growing concern that sugared beverage consumption may contribute to increasing obesity rates. However, few studies to date have examined sugar sweetened beverage consumption trends in college students. This study investigated self-reported sugared beverage consumption, nutritional knowledge, and readiness to change sugar sweetened beverage intake in college students (N=201; 33% minority). On average, non-overweight students reported significantly greater intake of sugared beverages than overweight students, and minority students reported greater consumption than Caucasians. A substantial majority of the sample (69%) reported that they had recently reduced their intake or were maintaining a reduction in intake. However, even those students indicating reduction in consumption reported intake of at least one sugar sweetened beverage daily. This suggests that high calorie beverage intake is a significant concern among young adult college-aged populations and that interventions targeting excess sugar sweetened beverage intake may have a role in obesity prevention efforts for this population.

  17. Predictors of prevention failure in college students participating in two indicated depression prevention programs.

    PubMed

    Blanco, Vanessa; Rohde, Paul; Vázquez, Fernando L; Otero, Patricia

    2014-04-04

    The purpose of this study was to identify subgroups of university students with the highest likelihood of remaining at elevated levels of depressive symptoms six months following the receipt of a depressive prevention intervention on the basis of known risk factors and participation in one of two depression prevention programs. Data from a randomized controlled trial evaluating depression prevention among 133 college students with elevated depressive symptoms were analyzed. Participants were randomized to a cognitive-behavioral or relaxation training group preventive intervention. Classification tree analysis showed that older age was the strongest risk factor for persistently elevated depression. Additional risk factors were: (1) for younger students, fewer daily pleasant activities; (2) for those with higher level of pleasant activities, higher level of stressful events; and (3) for those with higher level of stressful events, lower assertiveness. Results offer directions for prevention foci, identify specific subgroups of college students to target for depression prevention efforts, and suggest that research aim to help older, non-traditional students or graduating students manage the transition from college to the work force.

  18. Predictors of Prevention Failure in College Students Participating in Two Indicated Depression Prevention Programs

    PubMed Central

    Blanco, Vanessa; Rohde, Paul; Vázquez, Fernando L.; Otero, Patricia

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify subgroups of university students with the highest likelihood of remaining at elevated levels of depressive symptoms six months following the receipt of a depressive prevention intervention on the basis of known risk factors and participation in one of two depression prevention programs. Data from a randomized controlled trial evaluating depression prevention among 133 college students with elevated depressive symptoms were analyzed. Participants were randomized to a cognitive-behavioral or relaxation training group preventive intervention. Classification tree analysis showed that older age was the strongest risk factor for persistently elevated depression. Additional risk factors were: (1) for younger students, fewer daily pleasant activities; (2) for those with higher level of pleasant activities, higher level of stressful events; and (3) for those with higher level of stressful events, lower assertiveness. Results offer directions for prevention foci, identify specific subgroups of college students to target for depression prevention efforts, and suggest that research aim to help older, non-traditional students or graduating students manage the transition from college to the work force. PMID:24714056

  19. Consumers young and old: segmenting the target markets for direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising.

    PubMed

    Ball, Jennifer Gerard; Manika, Danae; Stout, Patricia

    2011-10-01

    Direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising (DTCA) studies have typically focused on older adults or a general population of adults. However, college students are viable targets for DTCA and are receiving more research attention in this area. In this article, we compare college students with two adult age segments. Our findings indicate all age groups had relatively high awareness of DTCA and similar attitudes and behavioral responses to the ads. However, there were significant differences in media use and health characteristics as well as the factors predicting DTCA ad trust, attitudes, and behavioral intentions. Implications and future research suggestions are discussed.

  20. Sexual victimization history predicts academic performance in college women.

    PubMed

    Baker, Majel R; Frazier, Patricia A; Greer, Christiaan; Paulsen, Jacob A; Howard, Kelli; Meredith, Liza N; Anders, Samantha L; Shallcross, Sandra L

    2016-11-01

    College women frequently report having experienced sexual victimization (SV) in their lifetime, including child sexual abuse and adolescent/adult sexual assault. Although the harmful mental health sequelae of SV have been extensively studied, recent research suggests that SV is also a risk factor for poorer college academic performance. The current studies examined whether exposure to SV uniquely predicted poorer college academic performance, even beyond contributions from three well-established predictors of academic performance: high school rank, composite standardized test scores (i.e., American College Testing [ACT]), and conscientiousness. Study 1 analyzed longitudinal data from a sample of female college students (N = 192) who were assessed at the beginning and end of one semester. SV predicted poorer cumulative end-of-semester grade point average (GPA) while controlling for well-established predictors of academic performance. Study 2 replicated these findings in a second longitudinal study of female college students (N = 390) and extended the analyses to include follow-up data on the freshmen and sophomore students (n = 206) 4 years later. SV predicted students' GPA in their final term at the university above the contributions of well-established academic predictors, and it was the only factor related to leaving college. These findings highlight the importance of expanding the scope of outcomes of SV to include academic performance, and they underscore the need to assess SV and other adverse experiences on college campuses to target students who may be at risk of poor performance or leaving college. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  1. [Changes of acquired immune deficiency syndrome related knowledge, attitudes, behaviors and their influencing factors among college students in Beijing].

    PubMed

    2017-06-18

    To compare acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) related knowledge, attitudes, behaviors and their influencing factors among college students in different years in Beijing, and to provide evidence for targeted health education among college students in future. College students were selected by the stratified cluster sampling method, and a questionnaire survey was conducted among college students in year 2006 and 2016 in Beijing. The sample sizes were 1 800 and 3 001 college students, respectively. The contents of the questionnaire included: socio-demographic characteristics, AIDS related knowledge, AIDS related attitude, sex intercourse and its related risk behaviors, condom use intension, and AIDS related health education. Compared with the year 2006, the average AIDS knowledge scores of college students in year 2016 dropped from 12.78±1.95 to 11.90±2.56 (t=12.91, P<0.05), and the correct answer rates of questions in the knowledge part were decreased, too. Except for belief on condom use, the college students were more negative on AIDS related attitude and self-efficacy in year 2016 than in year 2006. Among the students who had sex experience, the rates of commercial sex [17.65% (33/187) vs. 6.53% (16/245), χ 2 =13.003, P<0.001] and the rates of homo-sexual intercourse [15.43% (29/188) vs. 4.13% (10/242), χ 2 =16.356, P<0.001] were higher in year 2016 than in year 2006. The main way for the students seeking pornographic information was changed from books to internet (41.15%) in 2016 compared with the year 2016. In 2016, the influencing factors of intention on condom use were male (OR=0.713), self-efficacy of condom purchase (OR=0.876), never received sex education before college (OR=0.752), self-efficacy of condom use (OR=1.135), belief of condom use (OR=1.775), and attitude towards AIDS patients (OR=1.136). AIDS related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors among college students have been changed, AIDS related health education should be designed and improved based on new characteristics of college students. AIDS health education in colleges should pay more attention to sex attitude and sex responsibility and self-protection awareness among college students as well.

  2. Support programs for minority students at Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine.

    PubMed

    Thompson, H C; Weiser, M A

    1999-04-01

    The Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine ranks high among the nation's 19 osteopathic medical schools with respect to the percentage of underrepresented minorities (URMs) in the entering class. The college has strong recruitment and retention programs for URM and disadvantaged students. URM enrollment rose steadily from 11% in 1982-83 to 22% in 1997-98, despite the school's location in a rural, residential public university with few minorities as students or town residents. The college has six programs to support minority students through both undergraduate and medical school: the Summer Scholars Program (1983 to present), an intensive six-week summer program to prepare rising under-graduate seniors and recent graduates to apply to medical school; Academic Enrichment (1987 to present), to support first- and second-year medical students; the Prematriculation Program (1988 to present), an intensive six-week summer program for students who will matriculate in the college; Program ExCEL (1993 to present), a four-year program for undergraduates at Ohio University; the Summer Enrichment Program (1993 to present), an optional six-week program for students who will enter the premedical course at Ohio University; and the Post-baccalaureate Program (1993 to present), a year-long, individually tailored program for URM students who have applied to the medical college but have been rejected. The medical college first focused on supporting students already in the medical school curriculum, then expanded logically back through the undergraduate premedical programs, always targeting learning strategies and survival strategies, peer and faculty support, and mastery of the basic science content. The college plans to create an on-site MCAT preparation program and perhaps expand into secondary education.

  3. A Health Assessment Survey of Veteran Students: Utilizing a Community College-Veterans Affairs Medical Center Partnership.

    PubMed

    Misra-Hebert, Anita D; Santurri, Laura; DeChant, Richard; Watts, Brook; Sehgal, Ashwini R; Aron, David C

    2015-10-01

    To assess health status among student veterans at a community college utilizing a partnership between a Veterans Affairs Medical Center and a community college. Student veterans at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, Ohio, in January to April 2013. A health assessment survey was sent to 978 veteran students. Descriptive analyses to assess prevalence of clinical diagnoses and health behaviors were performed. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess for independent predictors of functional limitations. 204 students participated in the survey (21% response rate). Self-reported depression and unhealthy behaviors were high. Physical and emotional limitations (45% and 35%, respectively), and pain interfering with work (42%) were reported. Logistic regression analyses confirmed the independent association of self-reported depression with functional limitation (odds ratio [OR] = 3.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4-7.8, p < 0.05, and C statistic 0.72) and of post-traumatic stress disorder with pain interfering with work (OR 3.9, CI 1.1-13.6, p < 0.05, and C statistic 0.75). A health assessment survey identified priority areas to inform targeted health promotion for student veterans at a community college. A partnership between a Veterans Affairs Medical Center and a community college can be utilized to help understand the health needs of veteran students. Reprint & Copyright © 2015 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

  4. Drinking Location and Pregaming as Predictors of Alcohol Intoxication Among Mandated College Students.

    PubMed

    Miller, Mary Beth; Borsari, Brian; Fernandez, Anne C; Yurasek, Ali M; Hustad, John T P

    2016-07-02

    Both drinking location and pregaming have been associated with heavy alcohol use among college students, yet the manner by which they uniquely contribute to alcohol intoxication remains unclear. The current study examined the unique utility of drinking location and pregaming in predicting alcohol intoxication among college students who violated campus alcohol policy. Between 2011 and 2012, mandated college students who reported drinking prior to their referral events (N = 212, 41% female, 80% White, Mage = 19.4 y) completed a computerized assessment of drinking location and related behaviors as part of larger research trial. Chi-squared statistics, t-tests, one-way analyses of covariance, and regression were used to examine study aims. Participants were most likely (44%) to report drinking in off-campus housing prior to the referral event, and approximately half (47%) reported pregaming. Alcohol intoxication on the night of the referral event differed significantly as a function of both drinking location and pregaming, but pregaming did not moderate the association between drinking location and alcohol intoxication among mandated students. Female birth sex, pregaming, and drinking at either fraternities or off-campus housing predicted greater levels of alcohol intoxication on the night of the referral incident, while drinking in a residence hall/dorm predicted lower intoxication. Drinking location and pregaming are distinct predictors of alcohol intoxication among mandated college students. Future interventions may benefit from targeting both where and how college students consume alcohol.

  5. The role of men's physical attractiveness in women's perceptions of sexual risk: danger or allure?

    PubMed

    Lennon, Carter A; Kenny, David A

    2013-09-01

    The rate of casual sexual encounters is increasing on college campuses. To decrease sexual risk behavior, information used to judge sexual risk in others needs to be identified. Women rated male targets on willingness to have unprotected sex with the target and likelihood that the target has a sexually transmitted infection. Physical attractiveness was the strongest predictor of ratings, accounting for all the target variance in willingness to have unprotected sex. However, risk factors reported by the target were inconsistent predictors of perceived sexual risk. Findings are discussed within the context of safer sex interventions for college students.

  6. A Motivational Interviewing Intervention for the Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reich, Catherine M.; Howard Sharp, Katianne M.; Berman, Jeffrey S.

    2015-01-01

    Despite attempts to engage students, undergraduate instructors are often challenged by low motivation among students to study outside of the classroom. The current study adapted motivational interviewing, which is often used with therapy clients ambivalent to change, to target college student motivation to study for exams. Findings indicated…

  7. A model of service and training: threat assessment on a community college campus.

    PubMed

    Mrad, David F; Hanigan, Antoni J S; Bateman, Joyce R

    2015-02-01

    Forensic psychological assessment for targeted violence is a growing area of practice and community need. These threat assessments are particularly challenging on community college campuses given the broad range of students and the limited internal resources. A collaborative model of partnership between a community college and the training clinic of a doctoral program in clinical psychology has been developed and implemented. The model provides needed service to the community college and rich training experiences for doctoral students in psychology. Implementation of similar partnerships in other settings may be limited by the training and experience of doctoral faculty and the openness of behavioral intervention teams to external participants.

  8. The interactive role of eating regulation and stress in the prediction of weight-related outcomes among college students.

    PubMed

    Arsiwalla, Dilbur D; Arnold, Amanda W; Teel, Karla P; Ulrich, Pamela V; Gropper, Sareen S

    2018-02-01

    The interactive role of eating regulation and perceived stress on weight-related outcomes was examined among 319 sophomore year college students (110 males and 209 females). Moderated regressions were used to examine interactions between stress and eating regulation on study outcomes including body mass index (BMI) and body fat. Eating regulation moderated associations between stress and BMI and body fat outcomes. Students reporting high perceived stress, high autonomous eating regulation, low controlled regulation, and low amotivation exhibited higher outcomes (BMI and body fat) than those with similar eating regulation but lower perceived stress. Students with lower autonomous eating regulation and higher controlled regulation had no differences in study outcomes across levels of stress. College students who regulate their eating behaviours for health reasons (specifically showing autonomous regulation) exhibit higher BMI and body fat when they report higher levels of perceived stress. Health promotion programs for college students need to target education efforts towards stress reduction and healthy eating behaviours. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  9. The prevalence and correlates of depression, anxiety, and stress in a sample of college students.

    PubMed

    Beiter, R; Nash, R; McCrady, M; Rhoades, D; Linscomb, M; Clarahan, M; Sammut, S

    2015-03-01

    Over the past four years, the Franciscan University Counseling Center has reported a 231% increase in yearly visits, as well as a 173% increase in total yearly clients. This trend has been observed at many universities as mental health issues pose significant problems for many college students. The objective of this study was to investigate potential correlates of depression, anxiety, and stress in a sample of college students. The final analyzed sample consisted of 374 undergraduate students between the ages of 18 and 24 attending Franciscan University, Steubenville, Ohio. Subjects completed a survey consisting of demographic questions, a section instructing participants to rate the level of concern associated with challenges pertinent to daily life (e.g. academics, family, sleep), and the 21 question version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS21). The results indicated that the top three concerns were academic performance, pressure to succeed, and post-graduation plans. Demographically, the most stressed, anxious, and depressed students were transfers, upperclassmen, and those living off-campus. With the propensity for mental health issues to hinder the success of college students, it is vital that colleges continually evaluate the mental health of their students and tailor treatment programs to specifically target their needs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Drinking at College Parties: Examining the Influence of Student Host-Status and Party-Location

    PubMed Central

    Buettner, Cynthia K.; Khurana, Atika; Slesnick, Natasha

    2011-01-01

    The present research focuses on the party related drinking behaviors of college students and explores the differences in these behaviors based on students’ host status (i.e. party host vs. party attendee). Furthermore, we examine if the differences in party hosts and attendees’ drinking behaviors vary as a function of the party location (on-campus vs. off-campus). Multiple regression analyses were conducted using data from 3,796 undergraduates at a Midwestern University. Findings revealed a significant interaction between host status and party location, such that student party hosts reported significantly greater drink consumption and related consequences as compared to party attendees, only when the party was organized off-campus. For parties organized on-campus, student hosts reported lower drink consumption as compared to attendees. College-based preventive interventions should target students likely to host off-campus parties due to their high risk for involvement in heavy drinking. PMID:21862229

  11. Social anxiety and vulnerability for problematic drinking in college students: the moderating role of post-event processing.

    PubMed

    Potter, Carrie M; Galbraith, Todd; Jensen, Dane; Morrison, Amanda S; Heimberg, Richard G

    2016-09-01

    Socially anxious college students are at increased risk for engaging in problematic drinking (i.e. heavy or risky drinking) behaviors that are associated with the development of an alcohol use disorder. The present study examined whether post-event processing (PEP), repeatedly thinking about and evaluating one's performance in a past social situation, strengthens the association between social anxiety and vulnerability to problematic drinking among college students. Eighty-three college drinkers with high or low social anxiety participated in a social interaction task and were exposed to a manipulation that either promoted or inhibited PEP about the social interaction. Among participants randomized to the PEP promotion condition, those with high social anxiety exhibited a greater urge to use alcohol after the social interaction and greater motivation to drink to cope with depressive symptoms over the week following the manipulation than did those with low social anxiety. These findings suggest that targeting PEP in college drinking intervention programs may improve the efficacy of such programs for socially anxious students.

  12. Student supports: developmental education and other academic programs.

    PubMed

    Bettinger, Eric P; Boatman, Angela; Long, Bridget Terry

    2013-01-01

    Low rates of college completion are a major problem in the United States. Less than 60 percent of students at four-year colleges graduate within six years, and at some colleges, the graduation rate is less than 10 percent. Additionally, many students enter higher education ill-prepared to comprehend college-level course material. Some estimates suggest that only one-third of high school graduates finish ready for college work; the proportion is even lower among older students. Colleges have responded to the poor preparation of incoming students by placing approximately 35 to 40 percent of entering freshmen into remedial or developmental courses, along with providing academic supports such as summer bridge programs, learning communities, academic counseling, and tutoring, as well as student supports such as financial aid and child care. Eric Bettinger, Angela Boatman, and Bridget Terry Long describe the role, costs, and impact of these college remediation and academic support programs. According to a growing body of research, the effects of remedial courses are considerably nuanced. The courses appear to help or hinder students differently by state, institution, background, and academic preparedness. The mixed findings from earlier research have raised questions ranging from whether remedial programs, on average, improve student academic outcomes to which types of programs are most effective. Administrators, practitioners, and policy makers are responding by redesigning developmental courses and searching for ways to implement effective remediation programs more broadly. In addition, recent research suggests that colleges may be placing too many students into remedial courses unnecessarily, suggesting the need for further examining the placement processes used to assign students to remedial courses. The authors expand the scope of remediation research by discussing other promising areas of academic support commonly offered by colleges, including advising, tutoring, and mentoring programs, as well as supports that target the competing responsibilities of students, namely caring for dependents and balancing employment with schoolwork. They conclude that the limited resources of institutions and equally limited funds of students make it imperative for postsecondary institutions to improve student academic supports and other services.

  13. The impact of lifetime suicidality on academic performance in college freshmen.

    PubMed

    Mortier, P; Demyttenaere, K; Auerbach, R P; Green, J G; Kessler, R C; Kiekens, G; Nock, M K; Bruffaerts, R

    2015-11-01

    While suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB) among college students are common, the associations between STB and academic performance are not well understood. As part of the World Mental Health Surveys International College Student project, web-based self-reported STB of KU Leuven (Leuven, Belgium) incoming freshmen (N=4921; response rate=65.4%) was collected, as well as academic year percentage (AYP), and the departments to which students belong. Single- and multilevel multivariate analyses were conducted, adjusted for gender, age, parental educational level, and comorbid lifetime emotional problems. Lifetime suicide plan and attempt upon college entrance were associated with significant decreases in AYP (3.6% and 7.9%, respectively). A significant interaction was found with average departmental AYP, with STB more strongly associated with reduced AYP in departments with lower than higher average AYP. Limited sample size precluded further investigation of interactions between department-level and student-level variables. No information was available on freshman secondary school academic performance. Lifetime STB has a strong negative association with academic performance in college. Our study suggests a potential role for the college environment as target for treatment and prevention interventions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Preparing for College: A Planning Guide for Junior High Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    South Dakota State Dept. of Education and Cultural Affairs, Pierre.

    This booklet identifies the minimum entrance requirements necessary for college admission in South Dakota's public universities and recommends specific content for each course in the curriculum, as well as additional experiences and skills that would smooth the transition to a higher education course. The following topics, targeted to students…

  15. The Evolution of Research at Tribal Colleges and Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Riley, Erin T.; Vadiee, Nader; Ganguli, Amy C.

    2017-01-01

    Research initiatives targeting Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) are beneficial to students, communities, and faculty, but they often struggle due to the young nature of the institutions and their research support offices. Moreover, larger federal institutions and 1862 land grant institutions are not aware of the history and operational…

  16. Impact of Supplemental Instruction Participation on College Freshman Retention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Skoglund, Kirk; Wall, Timothy J.; Kiene, David

    2018-01-01

    Supplemental Instruction (SI), a higher-education academic support program, targets challenging college courses and uses peer-led review sessions to develop academic skills, improve grades, influence persistence, and ultimately increase student retention (Arendale, 2001). The goals of this study were twofold: to determine if differences existed in…

  17. The Reliability of Environmental Measures of the College Alcohol Environment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clapp, John D.; Whitney, Mike; Shillington, Audrey M.

    2002-01-01

    Assesses the inter-rater reliability of two environmental scanning tools designed to identify alcohol-related advertisements targeting college students. Inter-rater reliability for these forms varied across different rating categories and ranged from poor to excellent. Suggestions for future research are addressed. (Contains 26 references and 6…

  18. Suicide Prevention in a Diverse Campus Community

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shadick, Richard; Akhter, Sarah

    2013-01-01

    As the college population in the United States rapidly diversifies, leaders of successful campus suicide prevention programs are recognizing the importance of targeting specific groups of students. Recent estimates from the National Center for Education Statistics indicated that in 2008 more than one-third (36.7 percent) of college students…

  19. Improving the Targeting of Treatment: Evidence from College Remediation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scott-Clayton, Judith; Crosta, Peter M.; Belfield, Clive R.

    2014-01-01

    Remediation is one of the largest single interventions intended to improve outcomes for underprepared college students, yet little is known about the remedial screening process. Using administrative data and a rich predictive model, we find that severe mis-assignments are common using current test-score-cutoff-based policies, with…

  20. Producing more persuasive antiviolence messages for college students: testing the effects of framing, information sources, and positive/negative fact appeal.

    PubMed

    Yu, Hyunjae Jay

    2012-06-01

    College students, between the ages of about 18 and 24, are the group of people who are most often exposed to situations involving diverse types of violence. They have greater access to alcohol and drugs and are under far less parental supervision than younger age groups; reports have shown that frequent involvement in several types of violent behaviors can seriously damage college students physically and psychologically. However, despite the high rate of violence among college students, there has not been enough discussion about how we can produce more effective antiviolence messages targeting college students. This research provides some useful insights into this issue by testing the possible effects of three antiviolence message conditions: gain/loss framing, different information sources, and negative/positive fact appeal. The results reveal that college students in this study find more appeal in antiviolence messages conveyed by a traditional public service announcement (PSA) than in a TV news report. The results also reveal that people pay more attention to messages that use negative fact appeal (e.g., "There are many people losing a lot of precious things because of their violent behaviors") than to those that use positive fact appeal (e.g., "There are many people gaining a lot of precious things by avoiding violent behaviors"). An interaction effect between information sources and positive/negative fact appeal was also detected.

  1. What College Students Want To Learn about Contraception/STD: Marketing Your Services.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Griffith, Jeanne A.; Kile, Marilyn J.

    This paper describes a health education program developed by Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin for students at a university health center. Three goals of the program, which was targeted at 2,000 incoming first-year students, are listed: (1) to increase student awareness of existing services related to contraception and prevention/treatment of…

  2. The Use of Robotics to Promote Computing to Pre-College Students with Visual Impairments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ludi, Stephanie; Reichlmayr, Tom

    2011-01-01

    This article describes an outreach program to broaden participation in computing to include more students with visual impairments. The precollege workshops target students in grades 7-12 and engage students with robotics programming. The use of robotics at the precollege level has become popular in part due to the availability of Lego Mindstorm…

  3. Avoidance temperament and social-evaluative threat in college students' math performance: a mediation model of math and test anxiety.

    PubMed

    Liew, Jeffrey; Lench, Heather C; Kao, Grace; Yeh, Yu-Chen; Kwok, Oi-man

    2014-01-01

    Standardized testing has become a common form of student evaluation with high stakes, and limited research exists on understanding the roles of students' personality traits and social-evaluative threat on their academic performance. This study examined the roles of avoidance temperament (i.e., fear and behavioral inhibition) and evaluative threat (i.e., fear of failure and being viewed as unintelligent) in standardized math test and course grades in college students. Undergraduate students (N=184) from a large public university were assessed on temperamental fear and behavioral inhibition. They were then given 15 minutes to complete a standardized math test. After the test, students provided data on evaluative threat and their math performance (scores on standardized college entrance exam and average grades in college math courses). Results indicate that avoidance temperament was linked to social-evaluative threat and low standardized math test scores. Furthermore, evaluative threat mediated the influence of avoidance temperament on both types of math performance. Results have educational and clinical implications, particularly for students at risk for test anxiety and underperformance. Interventions targeting emotion regulation and stress management skills may help individuals reduce their math and test anxieties.

  4. Increasing Social Integration for College Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

    PubMed Central

    Ashbaugh, Kristen; Koegel, Robert; Koegel, Lynn

    2016-01-01

    Increasing numbers of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are entering postsecondary education; however, many report feeling lonely and isolated. These difficulties with socialization have been found to impact students’ academic success, involvement within the university, and overall well being. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess, within the context of a multiple-baseline across participants design, whether a structured social planning intervention would increase social integration for college students with ASD. The intervention consisted of weekly meetings to plan social activities around the student with ASD's interests, improve organizational skills, and target specific social skills. Additionally, each participant had a peer mentor for support during the social activities. The results showed that following intervention all participants increased their number of community-based social events, extracurricular activities, and peer interactions. Furthermore, participants improved in their academic performance and satisfaction with their college experience. Results are discussed in regards to developing specialized programs to assist college students with ASD. PMID:28642808

  5. Metabolic syndrome: comparison of prevalence in young adults at 3 land-grant universities.

    PubMed

    Morrell, Jesse Stabile; Byrd-Bredbenner, Carol; Quick, Virginia; Olfert, Melissa; Dent, Amanda; Carey, Gale B

    2014-01-01

    The study examines metabolic syndrome (MetS) among college students at 3 geographically distinct US campuses. Undergraduates (N = 360; 68% women), 18 to 24 years of age, were recruited at each public university in January and February 2011. MetS prevalence was evaluated in 83% (n = 299) participants. Anthropometric, biochemical, and clinical measures were collected in the fasted state. Twelve percent of college men and 6% of college women met the clinical definition of MetS. Males were more likely to have ≥ 2 individual MetS criteria than females (33% vs 16%; p < .05). Prevalence and individual criteria of MetS differed between the 3 regions. Obese and overweight students met significantly more MetS criteria and had higher C-reactive protein levels than normal-weight students (both p < .05). Findings suggest that MetS prevalence among college students differs by sex, weight status, and region. Further research is needed to identify effective, targeted interventions that are regionally appropriate for this population.

  6. Relationships among parental monitoring and sensation seeking on the development of substance use disorder among college students

    PubMed Central

    Kaynak, Övgü; Meyers, Kathleen; Caldeira, Kimberly M.; Vincent, Kathryn B.; Winters, Ken C.; Arria, Amelia M.

    2012-01-01

    Substance use disorder is a serious health problem that tends to manifest in late adolescence. Attempting to influence targetable risk and protective factors holds promise for prevention and treatment. Survey data from 1,253 college students (48.5% male, 26.9% non-White) were used to investigate the independent and combined effects of two prominent factors, sensation seeking and parental monitoring, on the probability of alcohol and/or cannabis dependence during the first year of college. In multivariate analyses that controlled for high school use, gender, race, mother’s education, and importance of religion, retrospective reports by the student of parental behavior during the last year of high school indicated that higher levels of parental monitoring had a direct effect on reducing risk for alcohol dependence during the first year of college, but not on cannabis dependence. High levels of sensation seeking were associated with increased risk for both alcohol and cannabis dependence. No interaction effects were found. The results extend prior findings by highlighting influences of pre-college parental monitoring and sensation seeking on the probability of alcohol and/or cannabis dependence during the first year of college. The findings also suggest that these two factors are useful in identifying college students at high risk for alcohol and/or cannabis dependence. PMID:23017733

  7. Study of knowledge and attitude among college-going students toward voluntary blood donation from north India

    PubMed Central

    Mishra, Shailesh Kumar; Sachdev, Suchet; Marwaha, Neelam; Avasthi, Ajit

    2016-01-01

    Introduction The study was conducted to assess the knowledge and attitude of college-going students toward voluntary blood donation and to bring out and compare the reasons for donating or not donating blood. Materials and methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on 1,000 college-going students after taking their consent for participation using a prevalidated, self-administered, structured questionnaire after its content and construct validation. Results The difference in the means of the level of knowledge among the donor (mean: 14.71±2.48) and nondonor students (mean: 11.55±2.82) was statistically significant. There was significant impact of previous blood donation on the level of knowledge in donor students. The attitude toward blood donation was more positive among blood donor as compared to nondonor students, and the difference in their means was statistically significant. About one in two (45.8%) college-going students fear that either they are not fit enough to donate blood (26.8%) or that they will become weak (19%) after blood donation. Almost one in four (27.4%) have fear of needle pain; therefore, they do not come forward for blood donation. Interpretation and conclusion The most significant reason hindering blood donation comes out to be related to health of the individual donor. The findings of this study conclude that the national targets of voluntary blood donation could be better met with specific blood donor information, education, motivation, and recruitment strategies focusing on the myths and misconceptions prevalent in the donor demographic area of that particular region, specifically targeting high-school children in countries developing a volunteer donor base. PMID:27051326

  8. Perceived need for care and mental health service utilization among college students with suicidal ideation.

    PubMed

    Nam, Boyoung; Wilcox, Holly C; Hilimire, Matthew; DeVylder, Jordan E

    2018-01-31

    This study aimed to identify correlates of service utilization and perceived need for care among college students with suicidal ideation. Respondents were recruited from introductory psychology courses at an undergraduate college during the Fall 2014 semester. Independent correlates of (1) mental health service utilization, (2) self-perceived need, and (3) other-perceived need for mental health services among college students (N = 190) with suicidal ideation were identified. Service utilization was associated with need for care as perceived by others. Perceived need for care by others was associated with suicidal ideation intensity and suicide attempt history. Perceived need by the respondents themselves was correlated with depression severity, sex, and race but was not independently associated with actual service utilization. Perceived need by others was the sole significant correlate of service utilization, suggesting it is an important target for public health interventions aimed at facilitating pathways into mental health treatment.

  9. Drinking Location and Pregaming as Predictors of Alcohol Intoxication Among Mandated College Students

    PubMed Central

    Miller, Mary Beth; Borsari, Brian; Fernandez, Anne C.; Yurasek, Ali M.; Hustad, John T. P.

    2016-01-01

    Background Both drinking location and pregaming have been associated with heavy alcohol use among college students, yet the manner by which they uniquely contribute to alcohol intoxication remains unclear. Objective The current study examined the unique utility of drinking location and pregaming in predicting alcohol intoxication among college students who violated campus alcohol policy. Method Between 2011 and 2012, mandated college students who reported drinking prior to their referral events (N=212, 41% female, 80% White, Mage =19.4 y) completed a computerized assessment of drinking location and related behaviors as part of larger research trial. Chi-squared statistics, t-tests, one-way analyses of covariance, and regression were used to examine study aims. Results Participants were most likely (44%) to report drinking in off-campus housing prior to the referral event, and approximately half (47%) reported pregaming. Alcohol intoxication on the night of the referral event differed significantly as a function of both drinking location and pregaming, but pregaming did not moderate the association between drinking location and alcohol intoxication among mandated students. Female birth sex, pregaming, and drinking at either fraternities or off-campus housing predicted greater levels of alcohol intoxication on the night of the referral incident, while drinking in a residence hall/dorm predicted lower intoxication. Conclusions/Importance Drinking location and pregaming are distinct predictors of alcohol intoxication among mandated college students. Future interventions may benefit from targeting both where and how college students consume alcohol. PMID:27070480

  10. Parents know best, but are they accurate? Parental normative misperceptions and their relationship to students' alcohol-related outcomes.

    PubMed

    LaBrie, Joseph W; Hummer, Justin F; Lac, Andrew; Ehret, Phillip J; Kenney, Shannon R

    2011-07-01

    Parents often look to other parents for guidance, but how accurate are their perceptions? Expanding on existing normative literature to include parents of college students, this study first sought to determine whether parents accurately estimated the attitudes of other parents concerning their college student's alcohol-related behaviors. The effect of these (mis)perceived injunctive norms on the alcohol-related attitudes and behaviors of the parents' own children was then examined. Participants were 270 college student-parent dyadic pairs who completed independent online surveys. The student sample was 59% female; the parent sample was 78% female. A structural equation model demonstrated that parents significantly overestimated other parents' approval of alcohol use by their respective child and, further, that these misperceptions strongly influenced parental attitudes toward their own child's drinking. Parental attitudes were subsequently found to be significantly associated with their child's attitudes toward drinking but were only marginally associated with the child's actual drinking, thereby underscoring the mediational effect of the child's attitudes. This is the first study to document the influence of parental normative misperceptions regarding alcohol use by their college-age children, reinforcing the importance of parental attitudes on children's alcohol-related attitudes and behaviors in college. These findings support the need to complement student-based interventions with parent-based interventions aimed at increasing parental awareness and involvement. Further, the current findings indicate that normative interventions targeting parents offer a promising avenue by which to indirectly and positively influence college students' alcohol use.

  11. Diagnosis and Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder in the College Mental Health Setting.

    PubMed

    Brickell, Claire M

    2018-05-18

    The impact of borderline personality disorder (BPD) on college students is not well studied, and there is currently little data about its phenomenology or treatment in this population. We review the available literature regarding evidence-based treatment for BPD on college campuses, as well as best-practice guidelines for the treatment of mental illness in the college setting. Diagnostic disclosure and psychoeducation are proposed as practical first steps in improving the treatment landscape. Preliminary studies of targeted treatment for BPD on college campuses are promising. They suggest that even pared-down interventions have the potential to help students feel better and function better. Experts in college mental health treatment emphasize the importance of gathering data, intervening early, communicating across treatment environments, appropriately marshaling resources, and providing psycho-education. To bring the on-campus treatment of BPD in line with best-practice guidelines, improved diagnostic practices are needed. Disclosing the diagnosis of BPD and educating students about this disorder are simple yet powerful interventions that can set the stage for further treatment and provide symptom relief.

  12. Drinking at college parties: examining the influence of student host-status and party-location.

    PubMed

    Buettner, Cynthia K; Khurana, Atika; Slesnick, Natasha

    2011-12-01

    The present research focuses on the party related drinking behaviors of college students and explores the differences in these behaviors based on students' host status (i.e. party host vs. party attendee). Furthermore, we examine if the differences in party hosts and attendees' drinking behaviors vary as a function of the party location (on-campus vs. off-campus). Multiple regression analyses were conducted using data from 3796 undergraduates at a Midwestern University. Findings revealed a significant interaction between host status and party location, such that student party hosts reported significantly greater drink consumption and related consequences as compared to party attendees, only when the party was organized off-campus. For parties organized on-campus, student hosts reported lower drink consumption as compared to attendees. College-based preventive interventions should target students likely to host off-campus parties due to their high risk for involvement in heavy drinking. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Exploring college students' use of general and alcohol-related social media and their associations with alcohol-related behaviors.

    PubMed

    Hoffman, Eric W; Pinkleton, Bruce E; Weintraub Austin, Erica; Reyes-Velázquez, Wanda

    2014-01-01

    Alcohol marketers have increasingly moved their advertising efforts into digital and social media venues. As a result, the purpose of this study is to investigate associations between students' use of social media, their exposure to alcohol marketing messages through social media, and their alcohol-related beliefs and behaviors. Public and private university students (N = 637) participated November and December 2011 and April 2012. College students completed online surveys to measure their exposure to social and online media generally, as well as their alcohol-related digital media use and alcohol use. Use of social media related to alcohol marketing predicted alcohol consumption and engaging in risky behaviors, whereas the use of social media more generally did not. Students' use of alcohol-related social media-marketing content associates with their problem drinking. Results have implications for alcohol abuse reduction efforts targeted at college students and suggest the importance of considering social, cultural, and cognitive factors in campaign planning and design.

  14. Knowing Where They’re Going: Destination-Specific Pregaming Behaviors in a Multiethnic Sample of College Students

    PubMed Central

    Zamboanga, Byron L.; Casner, Hilary G.; Olthuis, Janine V.; Borsari, Brian; Ham, Lindsay S.; Schwartz, Seth J.; Bersamin, Melina; Van Tyne, Kathryne; Pedersen, Eric R.

    2013-01-01

    Objectives To examine how legal age status, gender, and self-reported reasons for pregaming are linked to pregaming for two common drinking contexts: a bar and a Greek party. Method Participants who reported pregaming at least once a month (n = 2888 students aged 18–25 years) were recruited from 30 colleges/universities across the United States. Results Many students pregame for social reasons regardless of pregaming destination. Multivariate analyses indicated that legal age students were more likely than underage students to pregame before going to a bar, whereas the opposite was true with respect to pregaming for a Greek party. Women were more likely than men to pregame before going to a bar or a Greek party, whereas men reported higher levels of consumption while pregaming for these destinations compared with women. Conclusions The present findings suggest areas for targeted intervention efforts and promising avenues for research on context-specific pregaming behaviors among college students. PMID:23044716

  15. Mental Health Problems and Related Factors in Ecuadorian College Students

    PubMed Central

    Torres, Claudia; Otero, Patricia; Bustamante, Byron; Blanco, Vanessa; Díaz, Olga; Vázquez, Fernando L.

    2017-01-01

    Although the mental health problems of college students have been the subject of increasing research, there are no studies about its prevalence in Ecuadorian college students. The aim of this study was to determine the mental health problems and their associated factors in Ecuadorian freshmen university students. A sample of 1092 students (53.7% women; mean age = 18.3 years) were recruited from the Technical Particular University of Loja (Ecuador). Socio-demographic, academic, and clinical characteristics were gathered, as well as information on the participants’ mental health through a number of mental health screens. Prevalence of positive screens was 6.2% for prevalence of major depressive episodes, 0.02% for generalized anxiety disorders, 2.2% for panic disorders, 32.0% for eating disorders, 13.1% for suicidal risk. Mental health problems were significantly associated with sex, area of study, self-esteem, social support, personality and histories of mental health problems. The findings offer a starting point for identifying useful factors to target prevention and intervention strategies aimed at university students. PMID:28505139

  16. Mental Health Problems and Related Factors in Ecuadorian College Students.

    PubMed

    Torres, Claudia; Otero, Patricia; Bustamante, Byron; Blanco, Vanessa; Díaz, Olga; Vázquez, Fernando L

    2017-05-15

    Although the mental health problems of college students have been the subject of increasing research, there are no studies about its prevalence in Ecuadorian college students. The aim of this study was to determine the mental health problems and their associated factors in Ecuadorian freshmen university students. A sample of 1092 students (53.7% women; mean age = 18.3 years) were recruited from the Technical Particular University of Loja (Ecuador). Socio-demographic, academic, and clinical characteristics were gathered, as well as information on the participants' mental health through a number of mental health screens. Prevalence of positive screens was 6.2% for prevalence of major depressive episodes, 0.02% for generalized anxiety disorders, 2.2% for panic disorders, 32.0% for eating disorders, 13.1% for suicidal risk. Mental health problems were significantly associated with sex, area of study, self-esteem, social support, personality and histories of mental health problems. The findings offer a starting point for identifying useful factors to target prevention and intervention strategies aimed at university students.

  17. Comparative Evaluation: Participants versus Nonparticipants in the Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success (ACES) Program at Montgomery County Public Schools in Year One and Year Two

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Modarresi, Shahpar; Wolanin, Natalie; Cooper-Martin, Elizabeth

    2016-01-01

    The Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success (ACES) program is a collaboration between MCPS, Montgomery College, and the Universities at Shady Grove to create a seamless pathway from high school to college completion; it targets students who are underrepresented in higher education, the first in their family to attend college, or both. As one…

  18. Online Learning: Outcomes and Satisfaction among Underprepared Students in an Upper-Level Psychology Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McDonough, Colleen; Roberts, Ramona Palmerio; Hummel, Jessamy

    2014-01-01

    Online learning is on the rise, but research on outcomes and student satisfaction has produced conflicting results, and systematic, targeted research on underprepared college students is generally lacking. This study compared three sections (traditional, online, and 50% hybrid) of the same upper-level psychology course, taught with identical…

  19. Targets but Not Victims: Latina/o College Students and Arizona's Racial Politics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mendez, Julian J.; Cabrera, Nolan L.

    2015-01-01

    This study examines the experiences of 18 Latina/o students attending the University of Arizona in the wake of SB 1070 (anti-immigrant) and HB 2281 (anti-Mexican American Studies). Students experienced a hostile campus climate; however, many channeled their frustrations into political engagement. Findings indicate that despite anti-Latina/o…

  20. What Influences College Students to Continue Using Business Simulation Games? The Taiwan Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tao, Yu-Hui; Cheng, Chieh-Jen; Sun, Szu-Yuan

    2009-01-01

    Previous studies have pointed out that computer games could improve students' motivation to learn, but these studies have mostly targeted teachers or students in elementary and secondary education and are without user adoption models. Because business and management institutions in higher education have been increasingly using educational…

  1. Improving the interview skills of college students using behavioral skills training.

    PubMed

    Stocco, Corey S; Thompson, Rachel H; Hart, John M; Soriano, Heidi L

    2017-07-01

    Obtaining a job as a college graduate is partly dependent on interview performance. We used a multiple baseline design across skills to evaluate the effects of behavioral skills training with self-evaluation for five college students. Training effects were evaluated using simulated interviews as baseline and posttraining assessments. All participants acquired targeted skills, but we observed some individual differences. Participants were satisfied with training outcomes and rated the procedures as acceptable. Furthermore, ratings from university staff who provide interview training indicated that training improved performance across several skills for the majority of participants. © 2017 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

  2. Estimation of optimal educational cost per medical student.

    PubMed

    Yang, Eunbae B; Lee, Seunghee

    2009-09-01

    This study aims to estimate the optimal educational cost per medical student. A private medical college in Seoul was targeted by the study, and its 2006 learning environment and data from the 2003~2006 budget and settlement were carefully analyzed. Through interviews with 3 medical professors and 2 experts in the economics of education, the study attempted to establish the educational cost estimation model, which yields an empirically computed estimate of the optimal cost per student in medical college. The estimation model was based primarily upon the educational cost which consisted of direct educational costs (47.25%), support costs (36.44%), fixed asset purchases (11.18%) and costs for student affairs (5.14%). These results indicate that the optimal cost per student is approximately 20,367,000 won each semester; thus, training a doctor costs 162,936,000 won over 4 years. Consequently, we inferred that the tuition levels of a local medical college or professional medical graduate school cover one quarter or one-half of the per- student cost. The findings of this study do not necessarily imply an increase in medical college tuition; the estimation of the per-student cost for training to be a doctor is one matter, and the issue of who should bear this burden is another. For further study, we should consider the college type and its location for general application of the estimation method, in addition to living expenses and opportunity costs.

  3. Nutrition Education and Food for the Homeless--University Outreach.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Truesdell, Delores; Sani, Amy V.

    2001-01-01

    The Food Stamp Nutrition Education Initiative targeted homeless people in overnight shelters. College students made monthly visits to provide nutrition education and meals. Students received training in quantity food service and leadership in helping improve food security. (Contains 16 references.) (JOW)

  4. The Effect of Target Age on the Activation of Gender Stereotypes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Powlishta, Kimberly K.

    2000-01-01

    Investigated the impact of target age on gender stereotyping. College and elementary students viewed photographs of men, women, boys, and girls, rating each for masculine, feminine, and neutral personality traits. Adults also rated likelihood of masculine and feminine traits in adults versus children. Target age had important implications for…

  5. The Redemptive Role of the Community College within a Rural Society.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brandon, Judy

    The Academic Career Studies (ACS) program at Clovis Community College focuses on time management, concentration and memory techniques, effective reading and note taking, test-taking skills, creativity, and the qualities of people who are "masters" at what they do. The program targets students who are working on their General Educational…

  6. Ex-Offenders Prepare for Work, and Life, at Community Colleges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gonzalez, Jennifer

    2012-01-01

    The national push to graduate more students excludes no demographic group, and those with lagging completion rates become particular targets of attention. Now some community colleges are zeroing in on another underserved population: ex-offenders. Roughly 1.6 million people are in state and federal prisons across the country, and each year, about…

  7. Similarities between Deaf or Hard of Hearing and Hearing Students' Awareness of Affective Words' Valence in Written Language

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Degao; Zhang, Fan; Zeng, Xihong

    2016-01-01

    An affective priming task was used with two cohorts of college students, one deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH), the other hearing, in two experiments. The same set of affective-word targets, preceded by "[Chinese characters omitted]" in Experiment 1 but by affective-word primes of the same valence as the targets in Experiment 2, were…

  8. The Effect of Target Language and Code-Switching on the Grammatical Performance and Perceptions of Elementary-Level College French Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Viakinnou-Brinson, Lucie; Herron, Carol; Cole, Steven P.; Haight, Carrie

    2012-01-01

    Grammar instruction is at the center of the target language (TL) and code-switching debate. Discussion revolves around whether grammar should be taught in the TL or using the TL and the native language (L1). This study investigated the effects of French-only grammar instruction and French/English grammar instruction on elementary-level students'…

  9. Translating research into practice: targeting negative thinking as a modifiable risk factor for depression prevention in the college student population.

    PubMed

    Buchanan, Jenna L

    2013-06-01

    This article describes the effects of an evidence-based depression prevention intervention on the depressive symptomatology, negative thinking, and self-esteem in college students. A feasibility study was conducted using pre-test post-test design sampling a total of 12 college students. Participants underwent 4-weeks of psychological treatment using Peden's cognitive behavioral group intervention. The Beck Depression Inventory, Crandell Cognitions Inventory, and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale were administered at two time points: prior to the intervention (T1) and 4weeks later (T2). Paired t-test analysis found participants had significantly decreased depressive symptoms and negative thinking, and significantly increased self-esteem from T1 to T2. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Implications for sexual assault prevention: college students as prosocial bystanders.

    PubMed

    Exner, Deinera; Cummings, Nina

    2011-01-01

    Prosocial bystander interventions are promising approaches to sexual assault prevention on college campuses. To assess bystander attitudes among undergraduate students at a northeastern university. A convenience sample of 188 students from 4 undergraduate classes was surveyed during regularly scheduled class sessions. Participants completed a short survey on bystander efficacy, readiness to change, and barriers to intervention prior to the start of class. The majority of students were not involved in activities or programs focused on sexual assault prevention. Although students agreed that violence could be prevented, they perceived many barriers to their own participation in intervention. There is a need for gender-targeted prevention programming that introduces the idea of prosocial bystander intervention, with a focus on increasing self-efficacy and lowering barriers.

  11. NASA Langley Research Center HBCU/OMU program: 1990 student support survey

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Yang, R. L.; Tiwari, Surendra N.

    1991-01-01

    The results of a survey of students who are receiving support through the Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Other Minority Universities are given. Information is given on the race, sex, ethnic distribution, grade point average distribution, and target degree distribution.

  12. The Partnership on Work Enrichment and Readiness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haar, Diane; Raggi, Mindi

    2009-01-01

    The Partnership on Work Enrichment and Readiness (POWER's) unique and innovative curriculum recruits and sustains nontraditional students interested in preparing for employment or continued studies in an institution of higher education. The program specifically targets persons in mental health recovery. Students attend college during a regular…

  13. Relationships between depression, gender, and unhealthy weight loss practices among overweight or obese college students.

    PubMed

    Davila, E P; Kolodziejczyk, J K; Norman, G J; Calfas, K; Huang, J S; Rock, C L; Griswold, W; Fowler, J H; Marshall, S J; Gupta, A; Patrick, K

    2014-04-01

    Unhealthy weight loss practices are common among female college students. It is unknown if these practices are also most common among women in the subset of overweight or obese college students or if these practices are related to depression. We examined the relationship between gender, depression, and unhealthy weight loss practices among overweight or obese college students. Students (body mass index between 25.0 and 34.9 kg/m(2)) from three Southern California universities (M(age) = 22 years, SD = 4; 70% women) were recruited from May 2011 to May 2012 for participation in a weight loss clinical trial (N = 404). Logistic regressions were performed with baseline data to assess the cross-sectional relationship between self-reported unhealthy weight loss practices and gender and depression as measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression short form. Twenty-nine percent of participants reported engaging in at least one unhealthy weight loss behavior (e.g., fasting, purging) over the last 30 days, with no differences by gender. Self-report of at least one unhealthy weight loss behavior was associated with report of symptoms of depression (e(B) = 1.14 [confidence interval, CI: 1.08-1.20]), adjusting for potential confounders. Interactions between gender and depression were not significant (e(B) = 1.04 [CI: 0.93-1.16]). Among an overweight or obese sample of college students, unhealthy weight loss practices were equally common in both genders, and students with depressive symptomatology were at greatest risk. Obesity interventions targeting overweight or obese college students should educate both men and women about the dangers of unhealthy weight loss practices. In addition, screening for depression can help identify students who would benefit from additional supportive and coping strategies and resources. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. [Prevalence of social distance and restriction among college students with suicide attempts in Chongqing].

    PubMed

    Wang, Wo; Ai, Ming; Kuang, Li; Chen, Jian-Mei; Gan, Yao; Zeng, Yan; Lou, Dan-Dan; Liu, Wan-Ting; Niu, Ya-Juan; Phillips, Michael R

    2011-04-01

    To explore the attitude towards 10 different populations with different characteristics on their social distance and acceptance among those people with or without suicidal attempts among college students in Chongqing. 9808 college students were randomly selected from 11 universities in Chongqing and administered a self-constructed questionnaire "Suicide Attitude and Mental Health Status Questionnaire". A t-test was employed to analyze the social distance and degree of acceptance of college students with or without suicide attempts towards different groups as criminals, hypertensive, with suicide actions, homosexuals, depressive disorder, HIV infection, drug addiction, death of family members, hospitalization history in mental service and alcohol addiction. 169 college students had suicide attempts; the reporting rate of suicide attempts was 1.7%. Among college students, the scores higher than 50 on nine items related to social distance towards strangers with those 10 different characteristics and the top three were on those with HIV infection, drug addiction and hospitalization history in mental service. There were differences (P < 0.05) in scores of social distance attitude towards strangers with drug addiction (with suicide attempts 83.38 ± 21.82, without suicide attempts 78.55 ± 21.55, t = 2.88), hospitalization history in mental service (79.27 ± 21.23, 75.67 ± 21.31, t = 2.17), homosexuality (66.87 ± 24.77, 74.14 ± 21.94, t = -4.25), alcohol addiction (66.72 ± 21.80, 61.00 ± 22.80, t = 3.23) and hypertension (56.65 ± 20.40, 53.36 ± 21.05, t = 2.01) between college students with or without suicide attempts. College students scored higher than 50 in 7 items of social rejective attitudes towards acquaintances, of those with hospitalization history in mental service, drug and alcohol addiction ranked the top three. It showed statistical significances in social rejection attitudes towards acquaintances with homosexuality (35.28 ± 30.38, 42.83 ± 30.76, t = -3.14), severe depression (56.59 ± 28.49, 61.64 ± 25.56, t = -2.53) and suicide behaviors (51.46 ± 28.19, 56.56 ± 26.35, t = -2.48) between students with or without suicide attempts. College students in Chongqing kept quite far social distance and restrictive behaviors in college students with or without suicide attempts. Targeted interventions on suicide attempters should be carried out accordingly.

  15. Student Perceptions of Support Services and the Influence of Targeted Interventions on Retention in Distance Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nichols, Mark

    2010-01-01

    To improve student retention in distance education, Simpson suggested in 2003 that institutions analyse their own retention characteristics and "spot the leaks." In 2008 the Centre for Distance Learning at Laidlaw College, New Zealand, employed two part-time academic support coordinators in an effort to improve student retention and…

  16. Using Mobile Apps to Entice General Education Students into Technology Fields

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, Michelle; Murphy, Diane

    2013-01-01

    It is of national importance to increase the number of college students pursuing degrees in information systems/information technology (IT/IS) subjects. The primary focus at many institutions is renovating or enhancing existing IT/IS programs and the target audience is the students who have selected to major in IT/IS subjects. This paper looks at…

  17. Pride on the Other Side: The Emergence of LGBT Web Sites for Prospective Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mathis, Daniel; Tremblay, Christopher

    2010-01-01

    For several decades, colleges have maintained an LGBT Web presence for currently enrolled students. These Web sites inform students about resources, services, events, and staff . They serve as a way to communicate a school's inclusivity and commitment to the LGBT population. Only recently have Web sites specifically targeted for the prospective…

  18. Relationships among parental monitoring and sensation seeking on the development of substance use disorder among college students.

    PubMed

    Kaynak, Ovgü; Meyers, Kathleen; Caldeira, Kimberly M; Vincent, Kathryn B; Winters, Ken C; Arria, Amelia M

    2013-01-01

    Substance use disorder is a serious health problem that tends to manifest in late adolescence. Attempting to influence targetable risk and protective factors holds promise for prevention and treatment. Survey data from 1253 college students (48.5% male, 26.9% non-White) were used to investigate the independent and combined effects of two prominent factors, sensation seeking and parental monitoring, on the probability of alcohol and/or cannabis dependence during the first year of college. In multivariate analyses that controlled for high school use, gender, race, mother's education, and importance of religion, retrospective reports by the student of parental behavior during the last year of high school indicated that higher levels of parental monitoring had a direct effect on reducing risk for alcohol dependence during the first year of college, but not on cannabis dependence. High levels of sensation seeking were associated with increased risk for both alcohol and cannabis dependence. No interaction effects were found. The results extend prior findings by highlighting influences of pre-college parental monitoring and sensation seeking on the probability of alcohol and/or cannabis dependence during the first year of college. The findings also suggest that these two factors are useful in identifying college students at high risk for alcohol and/or cannabis dependence. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Parents Know Best, But Are They Accurate? Parental Normative Misperceptions and Their Relationship to Students' Alcohol-Related Outcomes*

    PubMed Central

    LaBrie, Joseph W.; Hummer, Justin F.; Lac, Andrew; Ehret, Phillip J.; Kenney, Shannon R.

    2011-01-01

    Objective: Parents often look to other parents for guidance, but how accurate are their perceptions? Expanding on existing normative literature to include parents of college students, this study first sought to determine whether parents accurately estimated the attitudes of other parents concerning their college student's alcohol-related behaviors. The effect of these (mis)perceived injunctive norms on the alcohol-related attitudes and behaviors of the parents' own children was then examined. Method: Participants were 270 college student-parent dyadic pairs who completed independent online surveys. The student sample was 59% female; the parent sample was 78% female. Results: A structural equation model demonstrated that parents significantly overestimated other parents' approval of alcohol use by their respective child and, further, that these misperceptions strongly influenced parental attitudes toward their own child's drinking. Parental attitudes were sub-sequently found to be significantly associated with their child's attitudes toward drinking but were only marginally associated with the child's actual drinking, thereby underscoring the mediational effect of the child's attitudes. Conclusions: This is the first study to document the influence of parental normative misperceptions regarding alcohol use by their college-age children, reinforcing the importance of parental attitudes on children's alcohol-related attitudes and behaviors in college. These findings support the need to complement student-based interventions with parent-based interventions aimed at increasing parental awareness and involvement. Further, the current findings indicate that normative interventions targeting parents offer a promising avenue by which to indirectly and positively influence college students' alcohol use. PMID:21683033

  20. Psychiatry's Next Generation: Teaching College Students About Mental Health.

    PubMed

    Shatkin, Jess P; Diamond, Ursula

    2015-10-01

    The authors describe an integrated area of study for undergraduate college students that targets an increase in knowledge of mental health issues in children, adolescents, and emerging adults; encourages mental health service utilization on college campuses; and exposes young minds to the possibilities of working with children and adolescents in the mental health field. An overview of the program is provided, including the resources required to oversee and manage the program, student requirements, a description of the role that clinicians and researchers play as the program faculty, and an explanation of the tuition model. The program currently includes 40 courses with an annual enrollment of over 3000 students, resulting in departmental revenues that currently exceed $11 million per year. Student evaluations of the courses are very positive, and in a program survey students reported that their participation in the program had a positive impact on their life (84.2%) and impacted their career choice (60.2%). The benefits of the program include a valuable outreach to college students regarding the importance of seeking help for mental health issues, a positive influence on early career decision-making, opportunities for clinical and research educators to develop their scholarly areas of interest, and a significant source of departmental discretionary revenues.

  1. Using SDO Data in the Classroom to Do Real Science -- A Community College Laboratory Investigation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dave, T. A.; Hildreth, S.; Lee, S.; Scherrer, D. K.

    2013-12-01

    The incredible accessibility of extremely high spatial and temporal resolution data from the Solar Dynamics Observatory creates an opportunity for students to do almost real-time investigation in an Astronomy Lab. We are developing a short series of laboratory exercises using SDO data, targeted for Community College students in an introductory lab class, extendable to high school and university students. The labs initially lead students to explore what SDO can do, online, through existing SDO video clips taken on specific dates. Students then investigate solar events using the Heliophysics Events Knowledgebase (HEK), and make their own online movies of events, to discuss and share with classmates. Finally, students can investigate specific events and areas, selecting specific dates, locations, wavelength regions, and time cadences to create and gather their own SDO datasets for more detailed investigation. In exploring the Sun using actual data, students actually do real science. We are in the process of beta testing the sequence of labs, and are seeking interested community college, university, and high school astronomy lab teachers who might consider trying the labs themselves.

  2. Campus food and beverage purchases are associated with indicators of diet quality in college students living off campus.

    PubMed

    Pelletier, Jennifer E; Laska, Melissa N

    2013-01-01

    To examine the association between college students' dietary patterns and frequency of purchasing food/beverages from campus area venues, purchasing fast food, and bringing food from home. Cross-sectional Student Health and Wellness Study. One community college and one public university in the Twin Cities, Minnesota. Diverse college students living off campus (n = 1059; 59% nonwhite; mean [SD] age, 22 [5] years). Participants self-reported sociodemographic characteristics and frequency of purchasing food/beverages around campus, purchasing fast food, and bringing food from home. Campus area purchases included à la carte facilities, vending machines, beverages, and nearby restaurants/stores. Dietary outcomes included breakfast and evening meal consumption (d/wk) and summary variables of fruit and vegetable, dairy, calcium, fiber, added sugar, and fat intake calculated from food frequency screeners. The associations between each purchasing behavior and dietary outcomes were examined using t-tests and linear regression. Approximately 45% of students purchased food/beverages from at least one campus area venue ≥3 times per week. Frequent food/beverage purchasing around campus was associated with less frequent breakfast consumption and higher fat and added sugar intake, similar to fast-food purchasing. Bringing food from home was associated with healthier dietary patterns. Increasing the healthfulness of campus food environments and promoting healthy food and beverage purchasing around campuses may be an important target for nutrition promotion among college students.

  3. Fifteen Ways to Stretch Scarce Student Aid.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hodgkinson, Virginia

    1982-01-01

    Colleges and universities have adjusted the packaging and targeting of student aid that may be more effective in reaching an institution's objectives in lean times, including increasing parent contributions, reducing the unmet need percentage, changing pricing policies, using quotas, revising capital campaigns, tapping alumni, and capitalizing on…

  4. Buy Me! Buy Me! Fourth Annual Report on Commercialism in Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Molnar, Alex; Reaves, Joseph A.

    2001-01-01

    The two students who won commercial sponsorship for their college education embody entrepreneurialism's darker side-the growing commercialism of schools and conscious targeting of students as lifelong consumers. This update discusses developments in program, activity, and materials sponsorships; exclusive agreements; electronic marketing;…

  5. Self-Reported Mental Disorders and Distress by Sexual Orientation: Results of the Minnesota College Student Health Survey.

    PubMed

    Przedworski, Julia M; VanKim, Nicole A; Eisenberg, Marla E; McAlpine, Donna D; Lust, Katherine A; Laska, Melissa N

    2015-07-01

    Sexual minority college students (i.e., those not identifying as heterosexual, or those reporting same-sex sexual activity) may be at increased risk of poor mental health, given factors such as minority stress, stigma, and discrimination. Such disparities could have important implications for students' academic achievement, future health, and social functioning. This study compares reports of mental disorder diagnoses, stressful life events, and frequent mental distress across five gender-stratified sexual orientation categories. Data were from the 2007-2011 College Student Health Survey, which surveyed a random sample of college students (N=34,324) at 40 Minnesota institutions. Data analysis was conducted in 2013-2014. The prevalence of mental disorder diagnoses, frequent mental distress, and stressful life events were calculated for heterosexual, discordant heterosexual, gay or lesbian, bisexual, and unsure students. Logistic regression models were fit to estimate the association between sexual orientation and mental health outcomes. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual students were more likely to report any mental health disorder diagnosis than were heterosexual students (p<0.05). Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and unsure students were significantly more likely to report frequent mental distress compared to heterosexual students (OR range, 1.6-2.7). All sexual minority groups, with the exception of unsure men, had significantly greater odds of experiencing two or more stressful life events (OR range, 1.3-2.8). Sexual minority college students experience worse mental health than their heterosexual peers. These students may benefit from interventions that target the structural and social causes of these disparities, and individual-level interventions that consider their unique life experiences. Copyright © 2015 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Improving the Targeting of Treatment: Evidence from College Remediation. NBER Working Paper No. 18457

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scott-Clayton, Judith; Crosta, Peter M.; Belfield, Clive R.

    2012-01-01

    At an annual cost of roughly $7 billion nationally, remedial coursework is one of the single largest interventions intended to improve outcomes for underprepared college students. But like a costly medical treatment with non-trivial side effects, the value of remediation overall depends upon whether those most likely to benefit can be identified…

  7. Effectiveness of a College-Level Self-Management Course on Successful Behavior Change

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Choi, Jean H.; Chung, Kyong-Mee

    2012-01-01

    Studies have shown that college-level self-management (SM) courses, which typically require students to complete an individual project as part of the course, can be an effective method for promoting successful self-change (i.e., targeted behavioral change). However, only a handful of studies have focused on and investigated the intensity of the SM…

  8. What Levels of Racial Diversity Can Be Achieved with Socioeconomic-Based Affirmative Action? Evidence from a Simulation Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reardon, Sean F.; Baker, Rachel; Kasman, Matt; Klasik, Daniel; Townsend, Joseph B.

    2018-01-01

    This paper investigates to what extent socioeconomic status (SES)-based affirmative action in college admissions can produce racial diversity. Using simulation models, we investigate the racial and socioeconomic distribution of students among colleges under the use of race- or SES-based affirmative action policies, or targeted, race-based…

  9. College Students and Sexual Dynamics: Two Studies of Peer Sexual Harassment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ivy, Diana K.; Hamlet, Stephen

    1996-01-01

    Shows that more women than men reported being targets of peer sexual harassment. Notes that women view certain behaviors as harassing and as more severe than men. Finds that classmates were a primary category of harassers for women and a secondary category for men. Documents peer sexual harassment in college classrooms and discusses implications…

  10. Credit card debt, stress and key health risk behaviors among college students.

    PubMed

    Nelson, Melissa C; Lust, Katherine; Story, Mary; Ehlinger, Ed

    2008-01-01

    To examine cross-sectional associations between credit card debt, stress, and health risk behaviors among college students, focusing particularly on weight-related behaviors. Random-sample, mailed survey. Undergraduate and graduate students (n = 3206) attending a large public university. Self-reported health indicators (e.g., weight, height, physical activity, diet, weight control, stress, credit card debt). More than 23% of students reported credit card debt > or = $1000. Using Poisson regression to predict relative risks (RR) of health behaviors, debt of at least $1000 was associated with nearly every risk indicator tested, including overweight/obesity, insufficient physical activity, excess television viewing, infrequent breakfast consumption, fast food consumption, unhealthy weight control, body dissatisfaction, binge drinking, substance use, and violence. For example, adjusted RR [ARR] ranged from 1.09 (95% Confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-1.17) for insufficient vigorous activity to 2.17 (CI: 0.68-2.82) for using drugs other than marijuana in the past 30 days. Poor stress management was also a robust indicator of health risk. University student lifestyles may be characterized by a variety of coexisting risk factors. These findings indicate that both debt and stress were associated with wide-ranging adverse health indicators. Intervention strategies targeting at-risk student populations need to be tailored to work within the context of the many challenges of college life, which may serve as barriers to healthy lifestyles. Increased health promotion efforts targeting stress, financial management, and weight-related health behaviors may be needed to enhance wellness among young adults.

  11. College Freshmen Students' Perspectives on Weight Gain Prevention in the Digital Age: Web-Based Survey.

    PubMed

    Monroe, Courtney M; Turner-McGrievy, Gabrielle; Larsen, Chelsea A; Magradey, Karen; Brandt, Heather M; Wilcox, Sara; Sundstrom, Beth; West, Delia Smith

    2017-10-12

    College freshmen are highly vulnerable to experiencing weight gain, and this phenomenon is associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases and mortality in older adulthood. Technology offers an attractive and scalable way to deliver behavioral weight gain prevention interventions for this population. Weight gain prevention programs that harness the appeal and widespread reach of Web-based technologies (electronic health or eHealth) are increasingly being evaluated in college students. Yet, few of these interventions are informed by college students' perspectives on weight gain prevention and related lifestyle behaviors. The objective of this study was to assess college freshmen students' concern about weight gain and associated topics, as well as their interest in and delivery medium preferences for eHealth programs focused on these topics. Web-based surveys that addressed college freshmen students' (convenience sample of N=50) perspectives on weight gain prevention were administered at the beginning and end of the fall 2015 semester as part of a longitudinal investigation of health-related issues and experiences in first semester college freshmen. Data on weight gain prevention-related concerns and corresponding interest in eHealth programs targeting topics of potential concern, as well as preferred program delivery medium and current technology use were gathered and analyzed using descriptive statistics. A considerable proportion of the freshmen sample expressed concern about weight gain (74%, 37/50) and both traditional (healthy diet: 86%, 43/50; physical activity: 64%, 32/50) and less frequently addressed (stress: 82%, 41/50; sleep: 74%, 37/50; anxiety and depression: 60%, 30/50) associated topics within the context of behavioral weight gain prevention. The proportion of students who reported interest in eHealth promotion programs targeting these topics was also generally high (ranging from 52% [26/50] for stress management to 70% [35/50] for eating a healthy diet and staying physically active). Email was the most frequently used electronic platform, with 96% (48/50) of students reporting current use of it. Email was also the most frequently cited preferred eHealth delivery platform, with 86% (43/50) of students selecting it. Facebook was preferred by the second greatest proportion of students (40%, 20/50). Most college freshmen have concerns about an array of weight gain prevention topics and are generally open to the possibility of receiving eHealth interventions designed to address their concerns, preferably via email compared with popular social media platforms. These preliminary findings offer a foundation to build upon when it comes to future descriptive investigations focused on behavioral weight gain prevention among college freshmen in the digital age. ©Courtney M Monroe, Gabrielle Turner-McGrievy, Chelsea A Larsen, Karen Magradey, Heather M Brandt, Sara Wilcox, Beth Sundstrom, Delia Smith West. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (http://publichealth.jmir.org), 12.10.2017.

  12. Assessing the Personal Negative Impacts of Hooking Up Experienced by College Students: Gender Differences and Mental Health.

    PubMed

    Napper, Lucy E; Montes, Kevin S; Kenney, Shannon R; LaBrie, Joseph W

    2016-09-01

    Hooking up is a normative behavior among college students that is associated with a range of positive and negative consequences. While previous research has primarily focused on women's negative experiences of hooking up, the current study explored the relationships among hooking up behaviors, psychological distress, and a broad range of negative effects of hooking up in both male and female college students. Using a multisite sample of college students, we developed the 14-item Negative Impact of Hookups Inventory (NIHI) to assess negative health outcomes, emotional responses, and social consequences associated with hooking up. Unprotected sex and having more hookup partners were associated with greater negative experiences of hooking up. Contrary to expectations, there were no gender differences in the total number of negative hookup effects, although men reported more frequent hookups. In addition, negative impacts of hooking up were positively associated with psychological distress regardless of gender. The NIHI may offer a useful tool to assess the negative impacts of hooking up. Understanding students' hookup experiences is an important step toward developing targeted health interventions related to hooking up behavior in young adult populations.

  13. Mental health symptoms and treatment utilization among trauma-exposed college students.

    PubMed

    Artime, Tiffany M; Buchholz, Katherine R; Jakupcak, Matthew

    2018-05-21

    Universities have demonstrated growing awareness of students impacted by interpersonal violence (e.g., sexual and physical assault) and veterans/service-members with combat-related trauma because of their sizable presence on campuses and unique vulnerabilities. This study sought to describe impacts of these two forms of trauma exposure on students' mental health and academic functioning and to compare mental health service utilization among students based on their experiences of trauma exposure. To acquire a large, national sample of college students, we examined archival data from the Fall 2015 American College Health Association National College Health Assessment, a yearly, web-based survey which represented a sample of 19,861 students from 40 institutions. Twenty percent of the students had experienced interpersonal victimization in the last 12 months, combat exposure, or both. Compared with other groups, interpersonal violence survivors reported the most negative impacts on mental health and interference with academic performance. Service utilization rates among trauma-exposed students ranged from 52% to 84%, and students who had experienced recent interpersonal violence were the most likely to have received services. With a national sample, this study confirms that trauma-exposed students report poor mental health. Service utilization is high among this population, but campus-based mental health services appear to remain underutilized. Outreach efforts by student life professionals and campus clinicians targeting demographic subgroups could enhance utilization and accessibility of campus resources. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  14. Co-Occurring Health-Related Behavior Pairs in College Students: Insights for Prioritized and Targeted Interventions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wells, Katelyn; Makela, Carole; Kennedy, Catherine

    2014-01-01

    Background: Research on strategies for addressing multiple health-related behaviors (HRBs) in one intervention are needed because resources are sparse and clarification is needed regarding the relationship between multiple HRBs. Purpose: Determine undergraduate students' health behavior co-occurring pairs of smoking cigarettes (SC), alcohol…

  15. Adding It All Up: Reconceiving the Introduction of the Integral

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Steven R.

    2013-01-01

    Calculus instruction is an important topic for high school and college teachers alike. A prime target for attention is integration, which, unfortunately, students too often treat as a rote procedure. Understanding the integral better will support students' application of their mathematical knowledge to science, technology, and engineering…

  16. Web-Based versus Classroom-Based Instruction: An Empirical Comparison of Student Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thrasher, Evelyn H.; Coleman, Phillip D.; Atkinson, J. Kirk

    2012-01-01

    Higher education expenditures are being increasingly targeted toward distance learning, with a large portion focused specifically on web-based instruction (WBI). WBI and classroom-based instruction (CBI) tend to offer students diverse options for their education. Thus, it is imperative that colleges and universities have ample, accurate…

  17. Tobacco, Marijuana, and Alcohol Use in University Students: A Cluster Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Primack, Brian A.; Kim, Kevin H.; Shensa, Ariel; Sidani, Jaime E.; Barnett, Tracey E.; Switzer, Galen E.

    2012-01-01

    Objective: Segmentation of populations may facilitate development of targeted substance abuse prevention programs. The authors aimed to partition a national sample of university students according to profiles based on substance use. Participants: The authors used 2008-2009 data from the National College Health Assessment from the American College…

  18. An Evaluation of the Target Success Mentor Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jackson, Jerlando F. L.; Mathews, Jerry G.

    Auburn University's Office of Minority Advancement, in conjunction with Auburn Junior High School, implemented a joint program to assist at-risk African-American male students while at Auburn Junior High School. Using the help of faculty and trained college student mentors, the Success in Reading Program was designed to enhance successful…

  19. Job Seekers' Perceptions of Teleworking: A Cognitive Mapping Approach.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kerrin, Maire; Hone, Kate

    2001-01-01

    College students (n=40) and nonstudent job seekers (n=20) rated four dimensions of telework. Results were plotted in cognitive maps. Students preferred office work to telework, citing lack of social interaction. Nonstudents, slightly older and more likely to be parents, slightly preferred telework. Targeting recruitment to account for these…

  20. Enrollment Management with Academic Portfolio Strategies: Preparing for Environment-Induced Changes in Student Preferences.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paulsen, Michael B.

    1990-01-01

    A marketing model of enrollment management focusing on relationships between changes in the macroenvironment, target market student preferences, college marketing mix, and enrollment is presented. Application of the model illustrates how institutions can offset, enhance, or neutralize potential enrollment effects of job market changes through…

  1. Effectiveness of interventions targeting physical activity, nutrition and healthy weight for university and college students: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Plotnikoff, Ronald C; Costigan, Sarah A; Williams, Rebecca L; Hutchesson, Melinda J; Kennedy, Sarah G; Robards, Sara L; Allen, Jennifer; Collins, Clare E; Callister, Robin; Germov, John

    2015-04-01

    To examine the effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving physical activity, diet, and/or weight-related behaviors amongst university/college students. Five online databases were searched (January 1970 to April 2014). Experimental study designs were eligible for inclusion. Data extraction was performed by one reviewer using a standardized form developed by the researchers and checked by a second reviewer. Data were described in a narrative synthesis and meta-analyses were conducted when appropriate. Study quality was also established. Forty-one studies were included; of these, 34 reported significant improvements in one of the key outcomes. Of the studies examining physical activity 18/29 yielded significant results, with meta-analysis demonstrating significant increases in moderate physical activity in intervention groups compared to control. Of the studies examining nutrition, 12/24 reported significantly improved outcomes; only 4/12 assessing weight loss outcomes found significant weight reduction. This appears to be the first systematic review of physical activity, diet and weight loss interventions targeting university and college students. Tertiary institutions are appropriate settings for implementing and evaluating lifestyle interventions, however more research is needed to improve such strategies.

  2. Attachment to parents, social anxiety, and close relationships of female students over the transition to college.

    PubMed

    Parade, Stephanie H; Leerkes, Esther M; Blankson, A Nayena

    2010-02-01

    The current study examined the process by which attachment to parents influences satisfaction with and ease in forming friendships at college. One hundred seventy-two female college freshmen completed a measure of parental attachment security the summer before their first semester of college (July 2006) and measures to assess satisfaction with and ease in forming close relationships at the end of their first semester (December 2006). Students ranged in age from 18 to 20 years (M = 18.09, SD = 0.33) and were diverse in their racial makeup (30% racial minority). Consistent with predictions derived from attachment theory, secure attachment to parents was positively associated with ease in forming friendships among racial minority and white participants and satisfaction with friendships among minority participants. Moreover, indirect effects of parental attachment security on relationship outcomes through social anxiety were significant for minority participants but not for white participants. Findings may be useful in the development of retention programs targeted at incoming university freshmen, particularly minority students.

  3. Multiple Health Behaviors: Patterns and Correlates of Diet and Exercise in a Hispanic College Sample

    PubMed Central

    Hu, Dixie; Taylor, Thom; Blow, Julie; Cooper, Theodore V.

    2011-01-01

    Obesity rates are alarming in various ethnocultural groups, particularly in Hispanics. With Hispanics being the fastest growing group to enter college, the aims of the current study were to examine patterns and correlates of exercise and dietary behaviors in Hispanic college students. Data were collected from 693 Hispanic undergraduates who enrolled online and received course extra credit for participation. Individuals completed questionnaires assessing constructs of the transtheoretical model for three health behaviors (exercise, dietary fat, and fruit/vegetable stages of change) along with demographic, psychosocial, and acculturation measures. Less than 1% of students had 0 obesity-relevant risks, while 68% indicated 2 or more risks. Only 2% of the sample met fruit and vegetable guidelines. Lower income was associated with greater obesity-relevant risks, while stress coping ability was associated with fewer such risks. Findings indicate specific obesity risk behaviors in Hispanic college students and suggest demographic and psychosocial targets for prevention and intervention according to stage of change. PMID:22051363

  4. The Influence of Social Media on Addictive Behaviors in College Students

    PubMed Central

    Steers, Mai-Ly N.; Moreno, Megan A.; Neighbors, Clayton

    2016-01-01

    Social media has become a primary way for college students to communicate aspects of their daily lives to those within their social network. Such communications often include substance use displays (e.g., selfies of college students drinking). Furthermore, students’ substance use displays have been found to robustly predict not only the posters’ substance use-related outcomes (e.g., consumption, problems) but also that of their social networking peers. Purpose of review The current review summarizes findings of recent literature exploring the intersection between social media and substance use. Recent findings Specifically, we examine how and why such substance use displays might shape college students’ internalized norms surrounding substance use and how it impacts their substance use-related behaviors. Summary Additional social media-related interventions are needed in order to target reduction of consumption among this at-risk group. We discuss the technological and methodological challenges inherent to conducting research and devising interventions in this domain. PMID:28458990

  5. An Undergraduate Summer Research Program Through A University-Community College Partnership: Design and Results

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hood, Carol E.; Hood, Michael; Woodney, Laura

    2016-06-01

    We present a model for an undergraduate summer research program in astronomy targeted at 2-year and 4-year students and the short-term success of student participants. California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB) is Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) serving 16,000 students, with no dominant ethnic or racial majority. Most (80%) CSUSB students are first-generation college students, and many of the students - both minority and “majority” - are economically disadvantaged and cannot afford to take on research projects without compensation. Approximately 60 percent of our students transfer from two year colleges, and all of the local community colleges are also officially designated as minority serving institutions. Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) is the largest single-campus community college in the state of California. It serves a student population of approximately 60,000 students (~35,000 full-time equivalent), also with no dominant ethnic or racial majority. Mt. SAC is currently 5th in the state in transfer ranking into the CSU system.In an effort to involve students in research as early as possible, we selected 2 students from each campus to participate in a summer research program. This program taught students observational techniques, data reduction and analysis skills, and then allowed them to work on more complex faculty astronomical research projects. These students were not selected based on their grades, or specific courses completed, simply based on their essays expressing their interests in astronomy. Students were only required to have already completed at least 1 physics or astronomy class and typically would be classified as freshman or sophomores. This program ran for 2 summers, before funding ran out. By the end of each summer, students were able to run the state-of-the-art campus observatory, and many chose to continue working on their research projects into the school year. To date, 3 students were selected for further summer research programs at SETI, CIERA, UC-Irvine, and NASA centers JPL and Armstrong. An additional 3 students have obtained employment directly or indirectly related to the skills they developed in the program and 2 of the Mt. SAC students have transferred to 4-year institutions.

  6. Active Transportation to and on Campus is Associated With Objectively Measured Fitness Outcomes Among College Students.

    PubMed

    Bopp, Melissa; Bopp, Christopher; Schuchert, Megan

    2015-03-01

    Active transportation (AT) has been associated with positive health outcomes, yet limited research has addressed this with college students, a population at-risk for inactivity. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between AT behavior and objectively measured fitness outcomes. A volunteer, convenience sample (n = 299) of college students from a large northeastern university completed a survey about their AT habits to and on campus and psychosocial constructs related to AT and participated in a laboratory-based fitness assessment (cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, body composition).Off-campus students were dichotomized as nonactive (0-1 AT trips/day) or active travelers (> 1 AT trips/day) to campus; t-tests compared nonactive and active travelers for psychosocial and fitness variables. Students were 56.3% male, 79.2% non-Hispanic White, and primarily living off-campus (87%). Most students (n = 177, 59.2%) reported active travel between classes. Off-campus students were primarily active travelers (76.1%). Active travelers to campus had greater cardiovascular fitness (P = .005), were more flexible (P = .006) and had lower systolic blood pressure (P = .05) compared with nonactive travelers. This study documents a relationship between AT behavior and objectively measured fitness among college students and provides a rationale for targeting this behavior as a method for improving health outcomes.

  7. Using deviance regulation theory to target marijuana use intentions among college students.

    PubMed

    Dvorak, Robert D; Raeder, Cody A; Kramer, Matthew P; Sargent, Emily; Stevenson, Brittany L; Helmy, Mai

    2018-02-01

    Several large epidemiological studies have shown increasing trends on a number of indices of marijuana use among college age samples. This may be due to changing attitudes about marijuana use linked to legalization efforts. Interventions that can target problematic use on a broad scale are lacking. Recent research has shown that deviance regulation theory (DRT) can be used to design effective web-based substance use interventions. DRT relies on the interplay between perceived norms and an appropriately framed message about the given behavior. The current study examines the use of DRT to change marijuana use intentions. Participants (n = 694 college students) completed measures of marijuana use and marijuana use norms. They were then assigned to receive a positively framed message about marijuana abstainers or a negatively framed message about marijuana users. Following the manipulation, participants rated intentions to use marijuana over the next three months. Consistent with DRT, there was an interaction between message frame and marijuana use norms. The positive frame attenuated the association between marijuana use norms and use intentions. A negative frame resulted in the lowest levels of use intentions among those with low use norms. Results suggest that DRT may be used to modify use intentions in college students, a population that has shown increasing rates of use. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  8. Targeting Fear of Spiders with Control-, Acceptance-, and Information-Based Approaches

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wagener, Alexandra L.; Zettle, Robert D.

    2011-01-01

    The relative impact of control-, acceptance-, and information-based approaches in targeting a midlevel fear of spiders among college students was evaluated. Participants listened to a brief protocol presenting one of the three approaches before completing the Perceived-Threat Behavioral Approach Test (PT-BAT; Cochrane, Barnes-Holmes, &…

  9. The Nature of Phonological Encoding During Spoken Word Retrieval.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sullivan, Michael P.; Riffel, Brian

    1999-01-01

    Examined whether phonological selection occurs sequentially or in parallel. College students named picture primes and targets, with varied response stimulus intervals between primes and targets. Results were consistent with Dell's (1988) two-stage sequential model of encoding, which shows an initial parallel activation within a lexical network…

  10. A Research Preparatory Program for First-Year College Students: Student Selection and Preparation Lead to Persistence in Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baiduc, Rachael R.; Drane, Denise; Beitel, Greg J.; Flores, Luke C.

    2017-01-01

    Undergraduate research experiences may increase persistence in STEM majors. We describe a research program that targets first-year students selected for their curiosity and attitudes towards science. We explain the implementation of the program over 3 years and present evaluation data using a group of matched controls. Participants and controls…

  11. The Effects of Targeted, Connectivism-Based Information Literacy Instruction on Latino Students Information Literacy Skills and Library Usage Behavior

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walsh, John

    2013-01-01

    The United States is experiencing a socio-demographic shift in population and education. Latinos are the fastest growing segment of the population on the national level and in higher education. The Latino student population growth rate and Latino college completion rate are not reciprocal. While Latino students are the fastest growing demographic…

  12. Portland Schools Foundation Ninth Grade Counts: Student Data Report--Outcomes and Participation for Summer 2009 and Participation for Summer 2010

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Northwest Evaluation Association, 2011

    2011-01-01

    The Portland Schools Foundation's (PSF) Ninth Grade Counts initiative is a network of more than twenty independent summer transition programs targeting Academic Priority (or "at-risk") students. These programs share a common focus on providing academic support, enrichment, and career/college exposure for students who show early warning…

  13. Electronic Feedback in College Student Drinking Prevention and Intervention

    PubMed Central

    Cronce, Jessica M.; Bittinger, Joyce N.; Liu, Junny; Kilmer, Jason R.

    2014-01-01

    Alcohol consumption is prevalent among college students and can be associated with serious negative consequences. Several efficacious programs using one-on-one brief intervention techniques have been developed to target high-risk drinking by individual students, such as the Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) (Dimeff et al. 1999). To reach a larger population (e.g., the incoming freshman class), researchers have adapted these interventions so that students can access them via the Internet or in some other electronic format. The purpose of this review is to discuss specific alcohol intervention programs that were (1) designed to be delivered remotely (e.g., via the Web or on an electronic device) without interaction with a provider and (2) were tested among college students using a randomized controlled trial design. Specific studies were drawn from earlier reviews as well as a comprehensive literature search. Although many programs have limited research support, and some findings are mixed, components that were directly translated from in-person BASICS to remote-delivery mediums (i.e., personalized feedback interventions [PFIs], personalized normative feedback [PNF] interventions), and broader programs that incorporate PFI/ PNF, show promise in reducing alcohol use and/or negative consequences. However, more research is needed and suggestions for how the field can move these interventions forward are discussed. PMID:26259000

  14. Electronic Feedback in College Student Drinking Prevention and Intervention.

    PubMed

    Cronce, Jessica M; Bittinger, Joyce N; Liu, Junny; Kilmer, Jason R

    2014-01-01

    Alcohol consumption is prevalent among college students and can be associated with serious negative consequences. Several efficacious programs using one-on-one brief intervention techniques have been developed to target high-risk drinking by individual students, such as the Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) (Dimeff et al. 1999). To reach a larger population (e.g., the incoming freshman class), researchers have adapted these interventions so that students can access them via the Internet or in some other electronic format.The purpose of this review is to discuss specific alcohol intervention programs that were (1) designed to be delivered remotely (e.g., via the Web or on an electronic device) without interaction with a provider and (2) were tested among college students using a randomized controlled trial design. Specific studies were drawn from earlier reviews as well as a comprehensive literature search. Although many programs have limited research support, and some findings are mixed, components that were directly translated from in-person BASICS to remote-delivery mediums (i.e., personalized feedback interventions [PFIs], personalized normative feedback [PNF] interventions), and broader programs that incorporate PFI/ PNF, show promise in reducing alcohol use and/or negative consequences. However, more research is needed and suggestions for how the field can move these interventions forward are discussed.

  15. Responses of US College and University Student Health Services to the 2004 Influenza Vaccine Shortage

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alfred, Norma J.; Turner, James C.; David, Felicita; DeLozier, David M.; Strikas, Raymond A.

    2005-01-01

    The United States experienced a shortage of influenza vaccine for the 2004-2005 influenza season. The authors surveyed college health programs to determine whether they had targeted vaccine to priority groups and knew how to reallocate remaining vaccine. They used an electronic message to distribute a Web-based survey to the members of 3…

  16. German Grammar in the Students' Words: The "Essentialization" of German Grammar by American College-Level Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chavez, Monika

    2011-01-01

    This study of 134 college-level learners of German, enrolled in four years of instruction, showed them to "essentialize" German grammar when asked to describe it to a hypothetical friend. Kubota defined the term essentialization to capture learners' views of the target culture. Its main characteristic is the presupposition of "essential, stable,…

  17. The effects of alcohol mixed with energy drinks (AmED) on traffic behaviors among Brazilian college students: a national survey.

    PubMed

    Eckschmidt, Frederico; de Andrade, Arthur Guerra; dos Santos, Bernardo; de Oliveira, Lúcio Garcia

    2013-01-01

    Drinking alcohol mixed with energy drinks (AmED) may be contributing to hazardous drinking practices and risk-taking behaviors among college students. In this regard, this study aimed to assess the frequency of AmED consumption in a national sample of Brazilian college students and to estimate the risk that energy drinks pose on drinking and traffic behaviors. A sample of 12,711 college students from across the country was asked to complete a research questionnaire on the use of drugs and other behaviors. Students who reported drinking in the previous 12 months (N = 8672) were divided into 2 groups: (a) those who reported drinking only alcohol (N = 4192) and (b) those who reported drinking AmED (N = 1119). The college students who reported the use of at least one illicit drug were excluded from data analysis. Descriptive and inferential analyses were subsequently carried out using the R library survey software 2.15.0. The null hypothesis was rejected at the level of P < .05. AmED users are more likely to be hazardous drinkers. Being male, single, and involved with high-risk drinking behaviors are associated to AmED. After adjusting for demographic and drinking variables, the odds of being involved in high-risk traffic behaviors--for example, driving at high speed (odds ratio [OR] = 2.6; P < .001) and driving after binge drinking (OR = 2.8; P < .001)--were higher among AmED users than alcohol only users (AUs). The current findings are consistent with the results of previous studies. Drinking AmED may make college students more vulnerable to the occurrence of risky drinking and traffic behaviors. Educational campaigns targeted to young people should be developed warning them about the potential risks of mixing alcohol with energy drinks.

  18. Development and evaluation of a mobile intervention for heavy drinking and smoking among college students.

    PubMed

    Witkiewitz, Katie; Desai, Sruti A; Bowen, Sarah; Leigh, Barbara C; Kirouac, Megan; Larimer, Mary E

    2014-09-01

    Nearly all college student smokers also drink alcohol, and smoking and heavy episodic drinking (HED) commonly co-occur. However, few studies have examined the factors that concurrently influence smoking and HED among college students and, to date, no interventions have been developed that target both HED and smoking in this population. The objective of the current study was to develop and evaluate a mobile feedback intervention that targets HED and smoking. Participants (N = 94) were non-treatment-seeking college students (M(age) = 20.5 years, SD = 1.7) who engaged in at least a single HED episode in the past 2 weeks and reported concurrent smoking and drinking at least once a week. Participants were randomized to receive either the mobile intervention for 14 days, complete mobile assessments (without intervention) for 14 days, or complete minimal assessments (without intervention or mobile assessments). At a 1-month follow-up, compared with the minimal assessment condition, we observed significant reductions in the number of cigarettes per smoking day in both the mobile intervention (d = 0.55) and mobile assessment (d = 0.45) conditions. Among those randomized to the mobile intervention, receiving more modules of the intervention was significantly associated with a lower likelihood of any drinking during the 14-day assessment period and significant reductions in smoking at 1-month follow-up. The mobile intervention did not result in significant reductions in HED or concurrent smoking and drinking. Future research should continue to examine ways of using technology and the real-time environment to improve interventions for HED and smoking.

  19. Peer associations for substance use and exercise in a college student social network.

    PubMed

    Barnett, Nancy P; Ott, Miles Q; Rogers, Michelle L; Loxley, Michelle; Linkletter, Crystal; Clark, Melissa A

    2014-10-01

    Substance use and exercise have opposite trajectories in young adulthood, and research indicates that peers are influential for both of these health behaviors, but simultaneous investigations of peer associations with substance use and exercise have not been conducted. Use a college residence hall peer network to examine associations between peer behaviors and alcohol use, marijuana use, and exercise behavior. 129 undergraduates (51.9% female, 48.1% non-Hispanic White; 84.5% first-year students) in one residence hall completed a Web-based survey of substance use and exercise and identified up to 10 students in the residence hall who were important to them. Two social network analytic methods, community detection cluster analysis and network autocorrelation modeling, were used to identify peer groupings and to examine the associations between peer and participant behaviors, respectively. Participants nominated an average of 4.1 residence hall members, and 53.9% of the ties were reciprocal. 6 clusters were identified that differed significantly on demographics, college activities, substance use, and exercise. Weekly volume of alcohol consumed among nominated peers was significantly associated with that of participants, and all other covariates, including gender and athlete status, were not significant. Peer marijuana use also was associated with participant use after controlling for covariates. Exercise levels of nominated peers were not associated with exercise levels of participants. College student networks may be good targets for health-related prevention programs. Programs that use close-proximity peers to influence the behavior of others might be more effective with substance use as the target behavior than exercise.

  20. Campus food and beverage purchases are associated with indicators of diet quality in college students

    PubMed Central

    Pelletier, JE; Laska, MN

    2013-01-01

    Purpose To examine the association between college students' overall dietary patterns and their frequency of purchasing food and beverages from campus area venues, purchasing fast food, and bringing food from home. Design Cross-sectional Student Health and Wellness Study. Setting One community college and one public university in the Twin Cities, MN. Subjects Diverse college students living off campus (n=1,059, 59% nonwhite, mean (SD) age 22 (5) years). Measures Participants self-reported socio-demographic characteristics and frequency of purchasing food/beverages around campus, purchasing fast food, and bringing food from home. Campus area purchases included those from à la carte facilities, vending machines, beverages, and nearby restaurants/stores. Dietary outcome measures included breakfast and evening meal consumption frequency (days/week) and summary variables of fruit and vegetable, dairy, calcium, fiber, added sugar, and fat intake calculated from food frequency screeners. Analysis T-tests and linear regression examined the association between each purchasing behavior and dietary outcomes. Results Approximately 45 percent of students purchased food/beverages from at least one campus area venue ≥3 times/week. Frequent food/beverage purchasing around campus was associated with less frequent breakfast consumption and higher fat and added sugar intake, similar to fast food purchasing. Bringing food from home was associated with healthier dietary patterns. Conclusion Increasing the healthfulness of campus food environments and promoting healthy food and beverage purchasing on and around campuses may be an important target for nutrition promotion among college students. PMID:23631451

  1. Mental Health Treatment Seeking Among Veteran and Civilian Community College Students.

    PubMed

    Fortney, John C; Curran, Geoffrey M; Hunt, Justin B; Lu, Liya; Eisenberg, Daniel; Valenstein, Marcia

    2017-08-01

    A Web-based survey examined treatment seeking among community college students to inform the design of engagement interventions. Veteran and civilian community college students (N=765) were screened for mental disorders and reported perceptions of treatment need, effectiveness, and stigma, as well as service use. Regression analysis identified predictors of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy use. Of the 511 students who screened positive for a current mental disorder or reported a perceived need for treatment (149 veterans and 362 civilians), 30% reported past-year use of psychotropic medications. Predictors were perceived treatment need (odds ratio [OR]=7.81, p<.001) and the perception that psychotropic medications are effective (OR=3.38, p=.012). Eleven percent of participants reported past-year psychotherapy use, and predictors were a positive screen for posttraumatic stress disorder (OR=2.78, p=.04) and poorer financial status. Modifiable barriers, including perceived need for and effectiveness of treatment, were correlated with pharmacotherapy use and should be targeted by engagement interventions.

  2. The more friends, the less political talk? Predictors of Facebook discussions among college students.

    PubMed

    Jang, S Mo; Lee, Hoon; Park, Yong Jin

    2014-05-01

    Although previous research has indicated that Facebook users, especially young adults, can cultivate their civic values by talking about public matters with their Facebook friends, little research has examined the predictors of political discussion on Facebook. Using survey data from 442 college students in the United States, this study finds that individual characteristics and network size influence college students' expressive behavior on Facebook related to two controversial topics: gay rights issues and politics. In line with previous studies about offline political discussion, the results show that conflict avoidance and ambivalence about target issues are negatively associated with Facebook discussions. Perhaps the most interesting finding is that users who have a large number of Facebook friends are less likely to talk about politics and gay rights issues on Facebook despite having access to increasing human and information resources. Theoretical implications of these findings and future directions are addressed.

  3. What's Religion Got to Do with It? Exploring College Students' Sexual and Reproductive Health Knowledge and Awareness of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Relation to Their Gender and Religiosity.

    PubMed

    Martin, Nancy; Baralt, Lori; Garrido-Ortega, Claire

    2017-06-26

    The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between religiosity and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) knowledge and awareness of campus SRH services among college students on a racially and ethnically diverse college campus. The sample included 996 undergraduate students at a large public university in California. For women, there was a consistent pattern across religious affiliations of more frequent attenders reporting lower SRH knowledge than less frequent attenders. These findings suggest that higher rates of religious attendance among Catholic, Protestant, and Evangelical women pose a risk for lower SRH knowledge. The results suggest the need for SRH outreach and educational materials targeting men in general, who had lower levels of SRH knowledge and awareness of SRH services overall, and taking religiosity into account, particularly with regard to women.

  4. Rebalancing Resources and Incentives in Federal Student Aid

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burd, Stephen; Carey, Kevin; Delisle, Jason; Fishman, Rachel; Holt, Alex; Laitinen, Amy; McCann, Clare

    2013-01-01

    The federal financial aid system is no longer up to today's demands. Built in a different era, its haphazard evolution over the decades has made it inefficient, poorly targeted, and overly complicated. With the need for higher education never greater and college growing increasingly unaffordable, students deserve a streamlined aid system that is…

  5. Reaching Out, But In Which Direction? The Future Focus of Academic Outreach Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rodriguez, Roberto

    1997-01-01

    A new trend in academic outreach programs, initiated to inspire and motivate minority students to prepare generally for college, is to create curriculum-based programs targeting students' specific academic or career interests. The MESA (Mathematics, Science, Engineering Achievement) Program serves as a model for development of other…

  6. Early Commitment Financial Aid Programs: Promises, Practices, and Policies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blanco, Cheryl D.

    2005-01-01

    Student financial assistance has long been a means to promote access to postsecondary education and attainment of college degrees. Numerous types of financial aid programs have proliferated over the years, including a relatively new concept that specifically targets high-risk, low-income students, focusing not just on getting them to go to college…

  7. Transitioning from High School to College: Surviving a Clash of Educational Cultures. ASHE Annual Meeting Paper.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Wynetta Y.

    This study examined the role of the North Carolina State University Transition Program (UTP) in enhancing transition of disadvantaged students from high school and increasing their persistence to degree. The UTP, which targets academically underprepared African American and Native American students, provides special courses and counseling…

  8. Adapting the ALP Model for Student and Institutional Needs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sides, Meredith

    2016-01-01

    With the increasing adoption of accelerated models of learning comes the necessary step of adapting these models to fit the unique needs of the student population at each individual institution. One such college adapted the ALP (Accelerated Learning Program) model and made specific changes to the target population, structure and scheduling, and…

  9. Differences in Self-Disclosure Patterns among Americans versus Chinese: A Comparative Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Guo-Ming

    A study investigated differences in self-disclosure, comparing patterns in Americans versus Chinese. Subjects, 198 American college students and 146 Chinese (Taiwan) students studying in the United States, completed a 200-item self-disclosure chart to target persons on special topics. Results of t-tests and analysis of variance indicated that…

  10. Appreciative Attitudes toward Jews among Non-Jewish US College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mayhew, Matthew J.; Bowman, Nicholas A.; Rockenbach, Alyssa N.; Selznick, Benjamin; Riggers-Piehll, Tiffani

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine appreciative attitudes toward Jews--a historically marginalized and targeted worldview identity group in the context of American higher education--among non-Jewish undergraduates. Drawing from a sample of 13,489 students across 52 institutions and using a multilevel modeling approach, we found that…

  11. A Proposal for the Entrepreneurial Awareness Program: The Options and Opportunities of Entrepreneurship.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bristow, Clinton, Jr.

    Chicago State University's College of Business and Administration, through a grant from the Coleman/Fannie May Candies Foundation, has established an Entrepreneurial Awareness Program for vocational high school students and teachers. Vocational high schools were the first to be targeted because their students are enrolled in courses providing…

  12. Death Anxiety and Cancer-Related Stigma: A Terror Management Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mosher, Catherine E.; Danoff-Burg, Sharon

    2007-01-01

    In a study designed to examine correlates of cancer-related stigma, 405 college students were assigned randomly to listen to an audiotaped interview in which the target's cancer type and smoking status were manipulated. In the lung cancer conditions, target gender also was manipulated. Social distance and emotional responses differed according to…

  13. Dark Hair and Light Eyes in Female College Students: A Potential Biologic Marker for Liability to Psychopathology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cohen, David B.

    1978-01-01

    Informal observation suggested that dark-haired/light eyed females (target group) might have a liability to psychopathology. Questionnaire data obtained from eight large undergraduate classes during a four year period (1974-77) yielded consistently higher percentages of target group individuals reporting hospitalization of first-degree relatives…

  14. Ethnic Comparisons in HIV Testing Attitudes, HIV Testing, and Predictors of HIV Testing Among Black and White College Students.

    PubMed

    Moore, Melanie P; Javier, Sarah J; Abrams, Jasmine A; McGann, Amanda Wattenmaker; Belgrave, Faye Z

    2017-08-01

    This study's primary aim was to examine ethnic differences in predictors of HIV testing among Black and White college students. We also examined ethnic differences in sexual risk behaviors and attitudes toward the importance of HIV testing. An analytic sample of 126 Black and 617 White undergraduatestudents aged 18-24 were analyzed for a subset of responses on the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment II (ACHA-NCHA II) (2012) pertaining to HIV testing, attitudes about the importance of HIV testing, and sexual risk behaviors. Predictors of HIV testing behavior were analyzed using logistic regression. t tests and chi-square tests were performed to access differences in HIV test history, testing attitudes, and sexual risk behaviors. Black students had more positive attitudes toward testing and were more likely to have been tested for HIV compared to White students. A greater number of sexual partners and more positive HIV testing attitudes were significant predictors of HIV testing among White students, whereas relationship status predicted testing among Black students. Older age and history of ever having sex were significant predictors of HIV testing for both groups. There were no significant differences between groups in number of sexual partners or self-reports in history of sexual experience (oral, vaginal, or anal). Factors that influence HIV testing may differ across racial/ethnic groups. Findings support the need to consider racial/ethnic differences in predictors of HIV testing during the development and tailoring of HIV testing prevention initiatives targeting college students.

  15. GeoFORCE Texas: An Outreach Program that is Increasing the Number and Diversity of Students Completing STEM Degrees and Entering the Workforce

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Snow, E.; Moore, S. L.

    2014-12-01

    GeoFORCE Texas is an outreach program of the Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin. Established in 2005 with the goal of increasing the number and diversity of students studying geosciences and engineering and entering the high-tech workforce, GeoFORCE has been highly successful. Key elements to that success will be presented here. GeoFORCE targets bright students in rural and inner-city schools where they are generally not academically challenged. Every summer throughout high school we take them on geologic field trips all over the country. In 2014, GeoFORCE led 15 field academies for about 600 students. The program is rigorous and academic. We emphasize college-level thinking skills. Because it is a 4-year program, they have a pretty good grounding in physical geology by the time they graduate. More importantly, they develop confidence in their ability to handle college, and a strong motivation to earn a college degree. GeoFORCE students are mostly minority (85%) and more than half will be the first in their family to graduate from college. GeoFORCE students exceed national averages in rates of going to college (97%), majoring in STEM fields (66%), majoring in geosciences (15%) and engineering (13%), and graduating from college (~85%). GeoFORCE is a public/private partnership and a workforce-focused program. The Jackson School funds staff and operating expenses (37%). Money for student programs comes from private industry (44%), state and federal grants (14%), and foundations and individual donors (5%). Our corporate partners are in the energy sector. In addition to funding, corporate sponsors attend the summer field programs, mentor GeoFORCE students, and provide opportunities for the students to visit the companies. As our students move toward college graduation, our industry and government partners have begun to hire them as interns. GeoFORCE graduates are now entering the workforce. Our first two cohorts are 4 and 5 years past high school graduation. That group of 155 students boasts 70 college graduates and another 60 still pursuing degrees. There are 19 geoscience majors and 9 engineers. They are also contributing to the body of science with a growing list of publications, including at least one at this meeting.

  16. A Cluster Analysis of the 1985-1989 Credit Student Body: Implementing Geo-Demographic Marketing at P.G.C.C. Market Analysis MA91-4.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boughan, Karl

    In an effort to better market the college's credit programs and services, Prince George's Community College (PGCC), Mayland, has employed its own tracking system which utilizes a socioeconomic segmentation of their serviceable target population. This approach utilizes U.S. Census data grouping neighborhoods into 24 natural socioeconomic, cultural…

  17. A Cluster Analysis of the 1985-1989 Non-Credit Student Body: Implementing Geo-Demographic Marketing at P.G.C.C., Part II. Market Analysis MA91-5.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boughan, Karl

    In an effort to better market the college's programs and services, Prince George's Community College (PGCC), Maryland, has employed its own tracking system which utilizes a socioeconomic segmentation of their serviceable target population. This approach utilizes U.S. Census data grouping neighborhoods into natural socioeconomic, cultural, and…

  18. Facebook as a Facilitator of Organizational Identification in Colleges and Universities: Exploring Relationships among Educational Institutions, Student Tenure, and Interaction with Multiple Organizational Targets

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lau, Aimee R.

    2013-01-01

    Potential uses for Facebook are frequently studied in scholarly literature. To date, much of this research focuses on varied social uses available to Facebook members. More recently, scholars have turned to potential academic uses of Facebook, and more generally, how Facebook might be used in educational institutions such as colleges and…

  19. Every Student Counts. The State We're in: 2016-2017. A Report on Public Education in Illinois

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Advance Illinois, 2016

    2016-01-01

    Illinois has set an ambitious target: 60% of working adults will hold a college degree or credential by 2025, as research suggests that at least 60% of jobs will require some type of educational credential past high school. Today, only 50% of the state's working adults hold college credentials. This report takes a snapshot of Illinois state's…

  20. How to succeed as a junior doctor.

    PubMed

    Azad, Michael

    2016-10-01

    The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) organised an inaugural 1-day conference, the aim of which was to look into some of the key issues that junior doctors need to address when beginning their careers. The target audience was medical students but a few foundation doctors were also in attendance. The conference also helped to increase RCP engagement with medical students and foundation doctors. The day was co-chaired by Professor Kate Thomas (vice dean, University of Birmingham) and Dr Andrew Macleod and Dr Kanwaljit Sandhu (RCP regional advisors for the West Midlands). © Royal College of Physicians 2016. All rights reserved.

  1. The ASSURE Summer REU Program: Introducing research to first-generation and underserved undergraduates through space sciences and engineering projects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barron, Darcy; Peticolas, Laura; Multiverse Team at UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Lab

    2018-01-01

    The Advancing Space Science through Undergraduate Research Experience (ASSURE) summer REU program is an NSF-funded REU site at the Space Sciences Lab at UC Berkeley that first started in summer 2014. The program recruits students from all STEM majors, targeting underserved students including community college students and first-generation college students. The students have little or no research experience and a wide variety of academic backgrounds, but have a shared passion for space sciences and astronomy. We will describe our program's structure and the components we have found successful in preparing and supporting both the students and their research advisors for their summer research projects. This includes an intensive first week of introductory lectures and tutorials at the start of the program, preparing students for working in an academic research environment. The program also employs a multi-tiered mentoring system, with layers of support for the undergraduate student cohort, as well as graduate student and postdoctoral research advisors.

  2. Rates and Correlates of Binge Drinking Among College Students With Disabilities, United States, 2013.

    PubMed

    West, Steven L; Graham, Carolyn W; Temple, Peter

    Our objective was to provide the first comprehensive picture of alcohol use and binge drinking by US college students with disabilities (SWDs), who represent at least 11% (1.6 million) of the US college student population. In fall 2013, we used a stratified random sampling technique to identify and recruit 2440 SWDs from 122 US colleges and universities. A total of 1285 (53%) SWDs from 61 (50%) colleges and universities completed a survey of alcohol and other drug use and the use of substances by student peers. We conducted 4 multiple logistic regression analyses to compare binge-drinking and non-binge-drinking SWDs by potential correlates of such use and a final model that included only significant variables. SWDs aged <21 vs ≥21 (odds ratio [OR] = 0.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.82-0.99) who spent more time vs less time socializing (OR = 1.24; 95% CI, 1.11-1.38), who spent less time vs more time studying (OR = -0.89; 95% CI, -0.80 to -0.99), and who used vs did not use marijuana (OR = 1.44; 95% CI, 1.18-1.75) or amphetamines (OR = 1.82; 95% CI, 1.15-2.89) were significantly more likely to binge drink. SWDs who reported using barbiturates were less likely to binge drink than were those who did not use barbiturates (OR = -0.36; 95% CI, -0.21 to -0.61). In the final model, use of amphetamines (OR = 1.74; 95% CI, 1.15-2.65) or marijuana (OR = 1.60; 95% CI, 1.32-1.94) was the highest predictor of binge drinking. SWDs' reported rates of binge drinking, although high, were not as high as those of nondisabled college students. Nevertheless, prevention efforts should be targeted toward college SWDs.

  3. Sexual orientation differences in HIV testing motivation among college men.

    PubMed

    Kort, Daniel N; Samsa, Gregory P; McKellar, Mehri S

    2017-04-01

    To investigate sexual orientation differences in college men's motivations for HIV testing. 665 male college students in the Southeastern United States from 2006 to 2014. Students completed a survey on HIV risk factors and testing motivations. Logistic regressions were conducted to determine the differences between heterosexual men (HM) and sexual minority men (SMM). SMM were more motivated to get tested by concern over past condomless sex, while HM were more often cited supporting the testing program "on principle" and wanting a free t-shirt. SMM and HM differed in behaviors that impact HIV risk and other demographics. However, differences in testing motivation by concern over past condomless sex or wanting a free t-shirt persisted when controlling for these demographic and behavioral differences. Appropriately designed HIV prevention interventions on college campuses should target SMM's distinct concern over past condomless sex as a testing motivation.

  4. Severe role impairment associated with mental disorders: Results of the WHO World Mental Health Surveys International College Student Project.

    PubMed

    Alonso, Jordi; Mortier, Philippe; Auerbach, Randy P; Bruffaerts, Ronny; Vilagut, Gemma; Cuijpers, Pim; Demyttenaere, Koen; Ebert, David D; Ennis, Edel; Gutiérrez-García, Raul A; Green, Jennifer Greif; Hasking, Penelope; Lochner, Christine; Nock, Matthew K; Pinder-Amaker, Stephanie; Sampson, Nancy A; Zaslavsky, Alan M; Kessler, Ronald C

    2018-05-30

    College entrance is a stressful period with a high prevalence of mental disorders. To assess the role impairment associated with 12-month mental disorders among incoming first-year college students within a large cross-national sample. Web-based self-report surveys assessing the prevalence of DSM-IV mental disorders and health-related role impairment (Sheehan Disability Scale) were obtained and analyzed from 13,984 incoming first-year college students (Response = 45.5%), across 19 universities in eight countries. Impairment was assessed in the following domains: home management, work (e.g., college-related problems), close personal relationships, and social life. Mean age of the sample was 19.3 (SD = 0.59) and 54.4% were female. Findings showed that 20.4% of students reported any severe role impairment (10% of those without a mental disorder vs. 42.9% of those with at least one disorder, P < 0.01). In bivariate analyses, panic disorder, and mania were associated most frequently with severe impairment (60.6% and 57.5%, respectively). Students reporting three or more mental disorders had almost fivefold more frequently severe impairment relative to those without mental disorders. Multiple logistic regression showed that major depression (OR = 4.0; 95%CI = 3.3, 4.8), generalized anxiety (OR = 3.9; 95%CI = 3.1, 4.8), and panic disorder (OR = 2.9; 95%CI 2.4, 4.2) were associated with the highest odds of severe impairment. Only minimal deviations from these overall associations were found across countries. Mental disorders among first-year college students are associated with substantial role impairment. Providing preventative interventions targeting mental disorders and associated impairments is a critical need for institutions to address. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Self-Reported Mental Disorders and Distress by Sexual Orientation

    PubMed Central

    Przedworski, Julia M.; VanKim, Nicole A.; Eisenberg, Marla E.; McAlpine, Donna D.; Lust, Katherine A.; Laska, Melissa N.

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Sexual minority college students (i.e., those not identifying as heterosexual, or those reporting same-sex sexual activity) may be at increased risk of poor mental health, given factors such as minority stress, stigma, and discrimination. Such disparities could have important implications for students’ academic achievement, future health, and social functioning. This study compares reports of mental disorder diagnoses, stressful life events, and frequent mental distress across five gender-stratified sexual orientation categories. Methods Data were from the 2007–2011 College Student Health Survey, which surveyed a random sample of college students (N=34,324) at 40 Minnesota institutions. Data analysis was conducted in 2013–2014. The prevalence of mental disorder diagnoses, frequent mental distress, and stressful life events were calculated for heterosexual, discordant heterosexual, gay or lesbian, bisexual, and unsure students. Logistic regression models were fit to estimate the association between sexual orientation and mental health outcomes. Results Lesbian, gay, and bisexual students were more likely to report any mental health disorder diagnosis than heterosexual students (p<0.05). Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and unsure students were significantly more likely to report frequent mental distress compared to heterosexual students (OR range, 1.6–2.7). All sexual minority groups, with the exception of unsure men, had significantly greater odds of experiencing two or more stressful life events (OR range, 1.3–2.8). Conclusions Sexual minority college students experience worse mental health than their heterosexual peers. These students may benefit from interventions that target the structural and social causes of these disparities, and individual-level interventions that consider their unique life experiences. PMID:25997903

  6. Pre-freshman enrichment program [University of New Haven

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1997-06-01

    The Connecticut Pre-Engineering Program, Inc. (CPEP), is a collaboration of school districts, businesses, colleges, universities, government and community organizations whose mission and program efforts are aimed at increasing the pool of African-American, Hispanic, Native-American Indian, Asian American, Women and other under-represented minority students who pursue mathematics, science, engineering and other technological based college study and careers. CPEP provides enrichment programs and activities throughout the year in New Haven. Since 1987, CPEP has sponsored summer enrichment programs designed to motivate and stimulate middle school and high school students to pursue careers in mathematics, science, engineering and other technology related fields. Throughmore » the Summer Enrichment Program, CPEP has been able to better prepare under-represented and urban students with skills that will facilitate their accessing colleges and professionals careers. The essential premise of the program design and academic content is that targeted students must be taught and nurtured as to develop their self-confidence and personal ambitions so that they can seriously plan for and commit to college-level studies. The program stresses multi-disciplinary hands-on science and mathematics experience, group learning and research, and career exploration and academic guidance. Students study under the direction of school teachers and role model undergraduate students. Weekly field trips to industrial sites, science centers and the shoreline are included in this program.« less

  7. Texas A&M Geosciences and the growing importance of transfer students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Riggs, E. M.

    2012-12-01

    Texas A&M University at College Station is the flagship university for the Texas A&M System, and is a major destination for transfer students, both from inside and outside the A&M system. The College of Geosciences consists of four academic departments and organized research centers spanning geoscience disciplines of Geology & Geophysics, Geography, Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences. Two additional interdisciplinary degree programs offer undergraduate degrees in Environmental Geosciences and Environmental Studies and graduate degrees in Water and Hydrological Sciences. The College has increased its undergraduate enrollment and graduation numbers substantially in recent years, growing from 105 Baccalaureate graduates in 2006-07 College-wide to 187 in 2010-11. This 80% growth over this time period has greatly outpaced the undergraduate degree completion growth rate of 10% for the University as a whole. While the College of Geosciences is still the smallest at A&M in terms of overall B.S. graduation rate, it is by far the fastest growing of the nine undergraduate degree-granting colleges over the last five years. A significant number of our incoming and graduating undergraduate students are transfers from primarily 2-year colleges, mostly concentrated in the southeastern portion of Texas. University-wide between 2006 and 2010, 23-25% of degree recipients entered as transfer students. In the College of Geosciences transfer students are an even more significant portion of our graduating students, making up 34-35% of graduates during the same period. Most of the recent undergraduate enrollment growth in the College, however, has come from an increase in first-time freshmen and not from an increase in transfer admissions. Recent efforts to reinvigorate transfer admissions have sharply reversed this trend. Current enrollment data shows that incoming transfer students this year once again more closely mirror historic graduation rates with 34% of our new students entering by transferring in. Beyond the numbers, there are other observations, concerns, and opportunities for partnerships between Texas A&M Geosciences and our surrounding community college students and programs. Through careful tracking of admitted transfer students, we have seen an unfortunate but consistent drop in GPAs among most transfers after arriving at Texas A&M. This results from gaps in preparation, mismatches in expectations, or curricular stumbling blocks. Recognition of this problem has provided an opportunity to spur efforts to help this incoming third of our student body reach their highest potential. Community college populations in our region also tend to be more diverse than first-time freshmen in general, and we are actively working to build stronger formal ties to community college feeder programs within the Houston metro area and other targeted regions within southeast Texas as part of our broader strategy to enhance diversity across our College. Seeing after the proper preparation and "onboarding" of this increasingly diverse and varied group of transfer students will be important for ensuring their success and the vitality of undergraduate programs in the geosciences as the entire university moves toward an increased emphasis on community college transfers.

  8. The Role of Alcohol Perceptions as Mediators Between Personality and Alcohol-Related Outcomes Among Incoming College-Student Drinkers

    PubMed Central

    Hustad, John T. P.; Pearson, Matthew R.; Neighbors, Clayton; Borsari, Brian

    2014-01-01

    After high school, college students escalate their drinking at a faster rate than their noncollege-attending peers, and alcohol use in high school is one of the strongest predictors of alcohol use in college. Therefore, an improved understanding of the role of predictors of alcohol use during the critical developmental period when individuals transition to college has direct clinical implications to reduce alcohol-related harms. We used path analysis in the present study to examine the predictive effects of personality (e.g., impulsivity, sensation seeking, hopelessness, and anxiety sensitivity) and three measures of alcohol perception: descriptive norms, injunctive norms, and perceptions regarding the perceived role of drinking in college on alcohol-related outcomes. Participants were 490 incoming freshmen college students. Results indicated that descriptive norms, injunctive norms, and the role of drinking largely mediated the effects of personality on alcohol outcomes. In contrast, both impulsivity and hopelessness exhibited direct effects on alcohol-related problems. The perceived role of drinking was a particularly robust predictor of outcomes and mediator of the effects of personality traits, including sensation seeking and impulsivity on alcohol outcomes. The intertwined relationships observed in this study between personality factors, descriptive norms, injunctive norms, and the role of drinking highlight the importance of investigating these predictors simultaneously. Findings support the implementation of interventions that target these specific perceptions about the role of drinking in college. PMID:24467197

  9. Reducing drinking to cope among heavy episodic drinking college women: Secondary outcomes of a web-based combined alcohol use and sexual assault risk reduction intervention.

    PubMed

    Gilmore, Amanda K; Bountress, Kaitlin E

    2016-10-01

    College students are at high risk for engaging in heavy episodic drinking and for experiencing sexual assault. Further, drinking to cope with anxiety motives are associated with sexual assault history and drinking, and thus should be examined when targeting both sexual assault and drinking in college populations. The current study examined the effectiveness of decreasing coping with anxiety drinking motives among underage heavy episodic drinking college women (n=264). Results indicate that a web-based combined alcohol use and sexual assault risk reduction intervention was effective at decreasing drinking to cope with anxiety motives among those with stronger drinking to cope with anxiety motives at baseline. However, the alcohol-only and sexual assault-only interventions were not. Decreases in drinking motives were associated with decreases in heavy episodic drinking. This suggests that alcohol interventions in college populations may not be effectively targeting drinking motives and this preliminary study provides evidence indicating that targeting alcohol and sexual assault together may decrease drinking to cope motives among a high risk population. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Effects of an online alcohol education course among college freshmen: an investigation of potential mediators.

    PubMed

    Paschall, Mallie J; Ringwalt, Chris; Wyatt, Todd; Dejong, William

    2014-04-01

    The authors investigated possible mediating effects of psychosocial variables (perceived drinking norms, positive and negative alcohol expectancies, personal approval of alcohol use, protective behavioral strategies) targeted by an online alcohol education course (AlcoholEdu for College) as part of a 30-campus randomized trial with 2,400 first-year students. Previous multilevel analyses have found significant effects of the AlcoholEdu course on the frequency of past-30-day alcohol use and binge drinking during the fall semester, and the most common types of alcohol-related problems. Exposure to the online AlcoholEdu course was inversely related to perceived drinking norms but was not related to any of the other psychosocial variables. Multilevel analyses indicated at least partial mediating effects of perceived drinking norms on behavioral outcomes. Findings of this study suggest that AlcoholEdu for College affects alcohol use and related consequences indirectly through its effect on student perceptions of drinking norms. Further research is needed to better understand why this online course did not appear to affect other targeted psychosocial variables.

  11. Effects of 21st birthday brief interventions on college student celebratory drinking: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Steinka-Fry, Katarzyna T; Tanner-Smith, Emily E; Grant, Sean

    2015-11-01

    College students' 21st birthday celebrations often involve consumption of extreme amounts of alcohol as well as alcohol-related risks. This systematic review aims to determine whether birthday-focused, individually-targeted, no-contact (email or letter-based) brief alcohol interventions (BAIs) reduce college students' 21st birthday celebratory drinking. A systematic search identified 9 randomized evaluations with 10 interventions to reduce 21st birthday drinking. Quantity of alcohol consumed and estimated blood alcohol concentration (BAC) were measured. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to summarize the effects of the interventions. There was no evidence that birthday-focused BAIs reduce quantities of alcohol consumed during birthday celebrations (g = 0.05, 95% CI [-0.03 to 0.13]). The interventions were associated with significant reductions in estimated BAC levels (g = 0.20, 95% CI [0.07 to 0.33]), but this effect was small in absolute terms. The quality of this body of evidence was very low, as evaluated using the GRADE approach. In particular, it was limited by substantial participant attrition post-randomization due to included studies' recruitment and randomization procedures. There is no evidence that birthday-focused, individually-targeted BAIs reduce the quantity of alcohol consumed by students during 21st birthday celebrations, although these interventions may yield small beneficial effects on estimated BAC. Many methodological concerns were identified in included studies. This area of research would benefit from theory-based RCTs that are well-designed and executed. Future research should also investigate strategies other than birthday-focused, individually-targeted, brief interventions to curb 21st birthday celebratory drinking. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Effects of 21st Birthday Brief Interventions on College Student Celebratory Drinking: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Steinka-Fry, Katarzyna T.; Tanner-Smith, Emily E.; Grant, Sean

    2015-01-01

    Introduction College students' 21st birthday celebrations often involve consumption of extreme amounts of alcohol as well as alcohol-related risks. This systematic review aims to determine whether birthday-focused, individually-targeted, no-contact (email or letter-based) brief alcohol interventions (BAIs) reduce college students' 21st birthday celebratory drinking. Methods A systematic search identified 9 randomized evaluations with 10 interventions to reduce 21st birthday drinking. Quantity of alcohol consumed and estimated blood alcohol concentration (BAC) were measured. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to summarize the effects of the interventions. Results There was no evidence that birthday-focused BAIs reduce quantities of alcohol consumed during birthday celebrations (ḡ = 0.05, 95% CI [-0.03 to 0.13]). The interventions were associated with significant reductions in estimated BAC levels (ḡ = 0.20, 95% CI [0.07 to 0.33]), but this effect was small in absolute terms. The quality of this body of evidence was very low, as evaluated using the GRADE approach. In particular, it was limited by substantial participant attrition post-randomization due to included studies' recruitment and randomization procedures. Conclusions There is no evidence that birthday-focused, individually-targeted BAIs reduce the quantity of alcohol consumed by students during 21st birthday celebrations, although these interventions may yield small beneficial effects on estimated BAC. Many methodological concerns were identified in included studies. This area of research would benefit from theory-based RCTs that are well-designed and executed. Future research should also investigate strategies other than birthday-focused, individually-targeted, brief interventions to curb 21st birthday celebratory drinking. PMID:26093502

  13. Perceived and Personal Mental Health Stigma in Latino and African American College Students

    PubMed Central

    DeFreitas, Stacie Craft; Crone, Travis; DeLeon, Martha; Ajayi, Anna

    2018-01-01

    Mental health stigma occurs when people have negative thoughts and beliefs of those with mental health illnesses or mental health treatment. Mental health stigma is related to an assortment of negative outcomes including discrimination in housing and employment, reduced usage of mental health services, and poor mental health outcomes. These implications may be particularly salient for ethnic minorities such as African Americans and Latinos who already suffer from other types of discrimination. This study examines perceived and personal mental health stigma in African American and Latino college students from a nontraditional university to help elucidate factors related to the development of mental health stigma. Students completed surveys concerning their stigma beliefs. African American students were found to have higher rates of mental health stigma than Latino students. Furthermore, anxiety about those with mental illness was related to greater mental health stigma for both groups. For African Americans, it was found that their perception of their ability to visibly identify those with mental illness was related to greater mental health stigma. These findings suggest that interventions to reduce mental health stigma in college students should target specific ethnic minority groups and focus on issues that are particularly salient to those communities. PMID:29536000

  14. Perceived and Personal Mental Health Stigma in Latino and African American College Students.

    PubMed

    DeFreitas, Stacie Craft; Crone, Travis; DeLeon, Martha; Ajayi, Anna

    2018-01-01

    Mental health stigma occurs when people have negative thoughts and beliefs of those with mental health illnesses or mental health treatment. Mental health stigma is related to an assortment of negative outcomes including discrimination in housing and employment, reduced usage of mental health services, and poor mental health outcomes. These implications may be particularly salient for ethnic minorities such as African Americans and Latinos who already suffer from other types of discrimination. This study examines perceived and personal mental health stigma in African American and Latino college students from a nontraditional university to help elucidate factors related to the development of mental health stigma. Students completed surveys concerning their stigma beliefs. African American students were found to have higher rates of mental health stigma than Latino students. Furthermore, anxiety about those with mental illness was related to greater mental health stigma for both groups. For African Americans, it was found that their perception of their ability to visibly identify those with mental illness was related to greater mental health stigma. These findings suggest that interventions to reduce mental health stigma in college students should target specific ethnic minority groups and focus on issues that are particularly salient to those communities.

  15. Non-College Bound Student Demonstration Project in Electronics and Laser-ElectroOptics--in Cooperation with Area High Schools, the Private Industry Council, and the Business Labor Council. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alfano, Kathleen

    A model program was developed to increase the number of noncollege-bound students who were capable of succeeding in electronics and laser/electro-optics technology (LET) vocational training. The target population was noncollege-bound disadvantaged students, at least 60 percent minorities and women who were historically underrepresented in…

  16. The Science Advancement through Group Engagement Program: Leveling the Playing Field and Increasing Retention in Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hall, Donna M.; Curtin-Soydan, Amanda J.; Canelas, Dorian A.

    2014-01-01

    How can colleges and universities keep an open gateway to the science disciplines for the least experienced first-year science students while also maintaining high standards that challenge the students with the strongest possible high school backgrounds? The Science Advancement through Group Engagement (SAGE) project targets cohorts of less…

  17. Clinical Services in the New Millennium: Expanding Targets, Limited Ammunition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cooper, Stewart E.

    Research suggests that the severity of emotional, behavioral, and characterological concerns of college students has increased significantly since the late 1980's. There is also evidence of a student body that is becoming more diverse according to race and age. This paper presents data and summarizes findings in three areas: the increase of client…

  18. China Rolls Out the Welcome Mat for Foreign Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hennock, Mary

    2012-01-01

    Renmin University of China's summer school, now in its fourth year, is one of the most ambitious efforts so far to meet China's goal of bringing half a million foreign students to its shores by 2020. To reach the bold target, the Ministry of Education is pouring money into colleges to establish programs friendly to Americans and other…

  19. Computer Simulations of Quantum Theory of Hydrogen Atom for Natural Science Education Students in a Virtual Lab

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Singh, Gurmukh

    2012-01-01

    The present article is primarily targeted for the advanced college/university undergraduate students of chemistry/physics education, computational physics/chemistry, and computer science. The most recent software system such as MS Visual Studio .NET version 2010 is employed to perform computer simulations for modeling Bohr's quantum theory of…

  20. Engineering Perceptions of Female and Male K-12 Students: Effects of a Multimedia Overview on Elementary, Middle-, and High-School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Amy M.; Ozogul, Gamze; DiDonato, Matt D.; Reisslein, Martin

    2013-01-01

    Computer-based multimedia presentations employing animated agents (avatars) can positively impact perceptions about engineering; the current research advances our understanding of this effect to pre-college populations, the main target for engineering outreach. The study examines the effectiveness of a brief computer-based intervention with…

  1. Development of a Comprehensive Recruitment Program Targeted at the Penn State Student Market. AIR Forum 1979 Paper.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spiro, Louis M.; McCallus, Joseph L.

    A time sequence of recruitment activities was developed using high school data to represent the total, potential, and actual student markets for Pennsylvania State University. High schools with similar characteristics were grouped according to potential recruitment yields. Under the assumption that college decision-making behavior approximated the…

  2. College tanning behaviors, attitudes, beliefs, and intentions: A systematic review of the literature.

    PubMed

    Gambla, William C; Fernandez, Alyssa M; Gassman, Natalie R; Tan, Marcus C B; Daniel, Casey L

    2017-12-01

    Despite well-established links between exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and skin cancer, UVR-based tanning behaviors persist among college students. Understanding tanning motivations, perceptions, barriers, and demographic characteristics of this population is critical to modifying these behaviors, but is limited by variability in study design, sample size, and outcomes measured in the current literature. To help clarify the tanning behaviors of this population and provide a concise reference for future studies, this review examines existing reports to determine the comparability of tanning behaviors across multiple U.S. college populations. A systematic review of the literature was performed in July 2016 to identify studies investigating tanning behaviors among U.S. college students. Twenty-three studies met inclusion criteria. High rates of indoor tanning (IT) and outdoor tanning (OT) were found among college students. Key motivators included appearance, emotion, health perceptions, and the influence of parents, peers, and the media. Misconceptions regarding skin protection, low rates of sun protective behaviors, and tanning dependence were barriers against safe UVR exposure. Understudied demographic factors may account for variance in observed tanning behaviors, emphasizing the need for standardization efforts to consistently identify trends associated with geographical region, age, year in college, and sex. The findings presented in this review reaffirm that college students are at high risk for tanning-associated skin cancer, emphasizing the critical need for effective, targeted interventions. Improved interventions will reduce the burden of skin cancer within this group, ultimately contributing to longer, healthier lives. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. College Student Affect and Heavy Drinking: Variable Associations Across Days, Semesters, and People

    PubMed Central

    Howard, Andrea L.; Patrick, Megan E.; Maggs, Jennifer L.

    2014-01-01

    This study tested associations between positive and negative affect and heavy drinking in 734 college students who completed daily diaries in 14-day bursts once per semester over 7 semesters (≤98 days per person). Three-level multilevel models tested whether affect and heavy drinking were linked across days, semesters, and persons. Higher daily, between-semester, and between-person positive affect were each associated with a greater odds of heavy drinking on weekdays and on weekend days. A significant interaction with semester in college showed that the association between daily positive affect and heavy drinking on weekend days became stronger over time. That is, heavy drinking on a weekend day with higher positive affect was more likely in later years of college (OR=2.93, Fall of 4th year), compared to earlier in college (OR=1.80, Fall of 1st year). A similar interaction was found for between-semester positive affect and heavy drinking on weekdays. Higher daily negative affect was associated with a greater odds of heavy drinking on weekdays only for students who first began drinking in 7th grade or earlier (OR=2.36). Results of this study highlight the importance of varied time spans in studying the etiology, consequences, and prevention of heavy drinking. Harm-reduction strategies that target positive affect-related drinking by encouraging protective behaviors during celebratory events may become increasingly important as students transition to later years of college. PMID:25347017

  4. College student affect and heavy drinking: Variable associations across days, semesters, and people.

    PubMed

    Howard, Andrea L; Patrick, Megan E; Maggs, Jennifer L

    2015-06-01

    This study tested associations between positive and negative affect and heavy drinking in 734 college students who completed daily diaries in 14-day bursts once per semester over 7 semesters (≤98 days per person). Three-level multilevel models tested whether affect and heavy drinking were linked across days, semesters, and persons. Higher daily, between-semester, and between-person positive affect were each associated with greater odds of heavy drinking on weekdays and on weekend days. A significant interaction with semester in college showed that the association between daily positive affect and heavy drinking on weekend days became stronger over time. That is, heavy drinking on a weekend day with higher positive affect was more likely in later years of college (OR = 2.93, Fall of 4th year), compared to earlier in college (OR = 1.80, Fall of 1st year). A similar interaction was found for between-semester positive affect and heavy drinking on weekdays. Higher daily negative affect was associated with a greater odds of heavy drinking on weekdays only for students who first began drinking in 7th grade or earlier (OR = 2.36). Results of this study highlight the importance of varied time spans in studying the etiology, consequences, and prevention of heavy drinking. Harm-reduction strategies that target positive affect-related drinking by encouraging protective behaviors during celebratory events may become increasingly important as students transition to later years of college. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

  5. Effects of Target Person Expression on Ethnic Prejudice toward Middle Easterners and Hispanics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sullivan, Tia N.; Scott, David A.; Nocks, Elaine C.

    2011-01-01

    Research on implicit prejudice suggests that target person judgments may be affected by unintentional, but well-learned, cognitive associations. Ethnicity, gender, and smiling or nonsmiling expression were varied as cues in White college students' perception tasks. The results of a factorial experiment are included as well as a discussion of the…

  6. The Influence of Attitudes toward Women on the Relative Individuation of Women and Men in the Netherlands

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stewart, Tracie L.; van Knippenberg, Ad; Joly, Janneke; Lippmann, Maarten W.; Hermsen, Berlinda J.; Harris, Kevin R.

    2004-01-01

    Two studies compared Dutch college students' individuation of women and men. Participants read trait descriptions and formed impressions of male and female targets. They then attempted to recall which traits had described each target. Consistent with the status hypothesis, participants viewed men as higher status and made fewer recall errors…

  7. A text message intervention for alcohol risk reduction among community college students: TMAP.

    PubMed

    Bock, Beth C; Barnett, Nancy P; Thind, Herpreet; Rosen, Rochelle; Walaska, Kristen; Traficante, Regina; Foster, Robert; Deutsch, Chris; Fava, Joseph L; Scott-Sheldon, Lori A J

    2016-12-01

    Students at community colleges comprise nearly half of all U.S. college students and show higher risk of heavy drinking and related consequences compared to students at 4-year colleges, but no alcohol safety programs currently target this population. To examine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of an alcohol risk-reduction program delivered through text messaging designed for community college (CC) students. Heavy drinking adult CC students (N=60) were enrolled and randomly assigned to the six-week active intervention (Text Message Alcohol Program: TMAP) or a control condition of general motivational (not alcohol related) text messages. TMAP text messages consisted of alcohol facts, strategies to limit alcohol use and related risks, and motivational messages. Assessments were conducted at baseline, week 6 (end of treatment) and week 12 (follow up). Most participants (87%) completed all follow up assessments. Intervention messages received an average rating of 6.8 (SD=1.5) on a 10-point scale. At week six, TMAP participants were less likely than controls to report heavy drinking and negative alcohol consequences. The TMAP group also showed significant increases in self-efficacy to resist drinking in high risk situations between baseline and week six, with no such increase among controls. Results were maintained through the week 12 follow up. The TMAP alcohol risk reduction program was feasible and highly acceptable indicated by high retention rates through the final follow up assessment and good ratings for the text message content. Reductions in multiple outcomes provide positive indications of intervention efficacy. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  8. Knowledge of Genetics and Attitudes toward Genetic Testing among College Students in Saudi Arabia.

    PubMed

    Olwi, Duaa; Merdad, Leena; Ramadan, Eman

    2016-01-01

    Genetic testing has been gradually permeating the practice of medicine. Health-care providers may be confronted with new genetic approaches that require genetically informed decisions which will be influenced by patients' knowledge of genetics and their attitudes toward genetic testing. This study assesses the knowledge of genetics and attitudes toward genetic testing among college students. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a multistage stratified sample of 920 senior college students enrolled at King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia. Information regarding knowledge of genetics, attitudes toward genetic testing, and sociodemographic data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. In general, students had a good knowledge of genetics but lacked some fundamentals of genetics. The majority of students showed positive attitudes toward genetic testing, but some students showed negative attitudes toward certain aspects of genetic testing such as resorting to abortion in the case of an untreatable major genetic defect in an unborn fetus. The main significant predictors of knowledge were faculty, gender, academic year, and some prior awareness of 'genetic testing'. The main significant predictors of attitudes were gender, academic year, grade point average, and some prior awareness of 'genetic testing'. The knowledge of genetics among college students was higher than has been reported in other studies, and the attitudes toward genetic testing were fairly positive. Genetics educational programs that target youths may improve knowledge of genetics and create a public perception that further supports genetic testing. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  9. Changes in Freshman Attitudes Following a Semester of Classes and Interventions. Student Success Companion Report to 2014 National Freshman Attitudes Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Noel-Levitz, Inc., 2014

    2014-01-01

    How much do the attitudes and needs of college freshmen change after attending classes for a semester and receiving targeted interventions aimed at increasing their success in college? To find out, Noel-Levitz compared pre- and post-survey data from more than 10,000 first-year undergraduates nationwide in 2013 who completed an initial motivational…

  10. Unmet Mental Health Treatment Need and Attitudes Toward Online Mental Health Services Among Community College Students.

    PubMed

    Dunbar, Michael S; Sontag-Padilla, Lisa; Kase, Courtney A; Seelam, Rachana; Stein, Bradley D

    2018-05-01

    A survey assessed use of and attitudes toward online mental health services among community college students to inform how such services may contribute to reducing unmet treatment need. A total of 6,034 students completed a Web-based survey on mental health and use of and attitudes toward mental health services. Logistic regression assessed the relationship between prior mental health treatment and attitudes among students with current serious psychological distress. Among students with psychological distress (N=1,557), 28% reported prior in-person service use and 3% reported online mental health services use; most (60%) reported willingness to use online services. Students with no prior in-person treatment were less likely than those with history of in-person treatment to endorse preferences for in-person services (adjusted odds ratio=.54). Students reported being open to using online mental health services, but utilization was low. Targeted outreach efforts may be required if these services are to reduce unmet treatment need.

  11. Trajectories of binge drinking and personality change across emerging adulthood.

    PubMed

    Ashenhurst, James R; Harden, Kathryn P; Corbin, William R; Fromme, Kim

    2015-12-01

    College students binge drink more frequently than the broader population, yet most individuals "mature out" of binge drinking. Impulsivity and sensation seeking traits are important for understanding who is at risk for maintaining binge drinking across college and the transition to adult roles. We use latent class growth analysis (LCGA) to examine longitudinal binge-drinking trajectories spanning from the end of high school through 2 years after college (M ages = 18.4 to 23.8). Data were gathered over 10 waves from students at a large Southwestern university (N = 2,245). We use latent factor models to estimate changes in self-reported impulsive (IMP) and sensation-seeking (SS) personality traits across 2 time periods-(a) the end of high school to the end of college and (b) the 2-year transition out of college. LCGA suggested 7 binge-drinking trajectories: frequent, moderate, increasing, occasional, low increasing, decreasing, and rare. Models of personality showed that from high school through college, change in SS and IMP generally paralleled drinking trajectories, with increasing and decreasing individuals showing corresponding changes in SS. Across the transition out of college, only the increasing group demonstrated a developmentally deviant increase in IMP, whereas all other groups showed normative stability or decreases in both IMP and SS. These data indicate that "late bloomers," who begin binge drinking only in the later years of college, are a unique at-risk group for drinking associated with abnormal patterns of personality maturation during emerging adulthood. Our results indicate that personality targeted interventions may benefit college students. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  12. College Ready: A 7M NSF MSP project to prepare pre- and in-service teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stewart, Gay; Stewart, John

    2009-05-01

    The College Ready in Mathematics and Physics Partnership is comprised of 38 school districts, UA Fort Smith, and UA, Fayetteville, which will serve as the lead among these core partners, with supporting partners AAPT, APS, College Board, Mathematical Association of America, Maplesoft, and Northwest Arkansas Community College. College Ready will build vertical and horizontal learning communities among school and college faculty in order to improve major articulation issues that impact the successful transition of students from high school to college, targeting physics. College Ready will achieve these ends through a series of interconnected activities including vertical alignment of high school and college expectations, intensive content driven workshops, articulation conferences, university course revisions, the creation of professional learning communities, and the opportunity for teachers to earn advanced degrees and endorsements. It builds on and looks to establish synergy between established efforts of PhysTEC and PMET.

  13. How Mandated College Students Talk About Alcohol: Peer Communication Factors Associated with Drinking

    PubMed Central

    Carey, Kate B.; Lust, Sarah A.; Reid, Allecia E.; Kalichman, Seth C.; Carey, Michael P.

    2015-01-01

    Relatively little research has examined how peer communication influences alcohol consumption. In a sample of mandated college students, we differentiate conversations about drinking among from conversations about harm prevention and provide evidence for the validity of these communication constructs. Students who violated campus alcohol policies and were referred for alcohol sanctions (N = 345) reported on drinking patterns, use of protective behavioral strategies, perceived descriptive norms for close friends and serving as social leader among their friends; they also reported on the frequency of conversations about drinking, about drinking safety, and about risk reduction efforts. Predicted correlations were found among types of communication and conceptually related variables. General communication was related to consumption but not protective behavioral strategies, whereas safety/risk reduction conversations correlated positively with all protective behavioral strategies. Both types of communication were associated with social leadership. Safety communication moderated the relationship between peer descriptive norms and drinks per week; more frequent talking about safety attenuated the norms-consumption relationship. Peer communication about both drinking and safety may serve as targets for change in risk reduction interventions for mandated college students. PMID:26861808

  14. College Freshmen Students’ Perspectives on Weight Gain Prevention in the Digital Age: Web-Based Survey

    PubMed Central

    Turner-McGrievy, Gabrielle; Larsen, Chelsea A; Magradey, Karen; Brandt, Heather M; Wilcox, Sara; Sundstrom, Beth; West, Delia Smith

    2017-01-01

    Background College freshmen are highly vulnerable to experiencing weight gain, and this phenomenon is associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases and mortality in older adulthood. Technology offers an attractive and scalable way to deliver behavioral weight gain prevention interventions for this population. Weight gain prevention programs that harness the appeal and widespread reach of Web-based technologies (electronic health or eHealth) are increasingly being evaluated in college students. Yet, few of these interventions are informed by college students’ perspectives on weight gain prevention and related lifestyle behaviors. Objective The objective of this study was to assess college freshmen students’ concern about weight gain and associated topics, as well as their interest in and delivery medium preferences for eHealth programs focused on these topics. Methods Web-based surveys that addressed college freshmen students’ (convenience sample of N=50) perspectives on weight gain prevention were administered at the beginning and end of the fall 2015 semester as part of a longitudinal investigation of health-related issues and experiences in first semester college freshmen. Data on weight gain prevention-related concerns and corresponding interest in eHealth programs targeting topics of potential concern, as well as preferred program delivery medium and current technology use were gathered and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results A considerable proportion of the freshmen sample expressed concern about weight gain (74%, 37/50) and both traditional (healthy diet: 86%, 43/50; physical activity: 64%, 32/50) and less frequently addressed (stress: 82%, 41/50; sleep: 74%, 37/50; anxiety and depression: 60%, 30/50) associated topics within the context of behavioral weight gain prevention. The proportion of students who reported interest in eHealth promotion programs targeting these topics was also generally high (ranging from 52% [26/50] for stress management to 70% [35/50] for eating a healthy diet and staying physically active). Email was the most frequently used electronic platform, with 96% (48/50) of students reporting current use of it. Email was also the most frequently cited preferred eHealth delivery platform, with 86% (43/50) of students selecting it. Facebook was preferred by the second greatest proportion of students (40%, 20/50). Conclusions Most college freshmen have concerns about an array of weight gain prevention topics and are generally open to the possibility of receiving eHealth interventions designed to address their concerns, preferably via email compared with popular social media platforms. These preliminary findings offer a foundation to build upon when it comes to future descriptive investigations focused on behavioral weight gain prevention among college freshmen in the digital age. PMID:29025698

  15. Determinants of risky sexual behavior and condom use among college students in China.

    PubMed

    Sun, Xinying; Liu, Xiaona; Shi, Yuhui; Wang, Yanling; Wang, Peiyu; Chang, Chun

    2013-01-01

    The purposes of this study were to assess sexual behavior and condom use among Chinese college students, and to explore social-environmental and social-cognitive determinants associated with risky sexual behaviors within this population. A survey was conducted among 19,123 Chinese college students recruited through stratified cluster sampling. About 9% of the students reported having had sex (male=13.3%, female=5.0%, OR=2.918), 3.6% had multiple sexual partners (male=5.7%, female=1.6%, OR=3.624), and 0.9% had commercialized sex (male=1.6%, female=0.3%, OR=6.169). Only 24.8% of sexually active students had used a condom for every sexual encounter, and there was no significant difference in condom use between male students and female students. Logistic regression showed that sex (female, OR=0.769), age (older, OR=1.263), exposure to pornographic information (higher, OR=1.751), drinking (intoxication, OR=1.437), and smoking (OR=2.123-5.112) were all determinants of sexual behaviors. Path analysis showed that exposure to pornographic information, level of consumption, and sex education were important social-environmental factors of condom use. Condom use was more common among those who had greater HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes toward high-risk behavior, self-efficacy, and intent to use a condom. Intentions were the most important and direct factor influencing condom use. The study concluded that college students are vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases - including HIV/AIDS infection - through sexual contact. Therefore, future HIV/AIDS prevention and safer sex interventions should focus on self-protection skills and target behavior change.

  16. Poor mental health, peer drinking norms, and alcohol risk in a social network of first-year college students.

    PubMed

    Kenney, Shannon R; DiGuiseppi, Graham T; Meisel, Matthew K; Balestrieri, Sara G; Barnett, Nancy P

    2018-09-01

    College students with anxiety and depressive symptomatology face escalated risk for alcohol-related negative consequences. While it is well-established that normative perceptions of proximal peers' drinking behaviors influence students' own drinking behaviors, it is not clear how mental health status impacts this association. In the current study, we examined cross-sectional relationships between anxiety and depressed mood, perceived drinking behaviors and attitudes of important peers, and past month alcohol consumption and related problems in a first-semester college student social network. Participants (N = 1254, 55% female, 47% non-Hispanic White) were first-year students residing on campus at a single university who completed a web-based survey assessing alcohol use, mental health, and social connections among first-year student peers. Network autocorrelation models were used to examine the independent and interactive associations between mental health and perceptions of close peers' drinking on drinking outcomes, controlling for important variables. Mental health interacted with perceptions to predict past-month drinking outcomes, such that higher anxiety and higher perceptions that peers drink heavily was associated with more drinks consumed and consequences, and higher depression and perceptions was associated with more drinks consumed, heavy drinking frequency, and consequences. Attitudes that peers approve of heavy drinking were associated with more drinks consumed and heavy drinking frequency among students with lower (vs. higher) depressed mood. This study provides strong evidence that perceiving that close peers drink heavily is particularly risk-enhancing for anxious and depressed college students, and offers implications about alcohol intervention targeted at these subgroups. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. ALVA: A Successful Program for Increasing the Number of Minority Undergraduates who Earn Engineering Degrees

    PubMed Central

    Peterson, Lisa; Pinkham, Scott; Jordan, Cathryne

    2010-01-01

    A highly successful minority outreach and support program for incoming college freshmen in engineering is described. The University of Washington has been running ALVA (Alliances for Learning and Vision for underrepresented Americans) for 11 years and continuously tracks its participants. Partners in ALVA come from the government, education, and industry. This program targets talented underrepresented minority students and addresses four major hurdles that face minority students in engineering: lack of vision of themselves as an engineer, finances, community, and academic preparation. We will present ALVA as a model that can be duplicated at other colleges and universities. PMID:25242894

  18. Diplomas Count 2012: Trailing behind, Moving Forward--Latino Students in U.S. Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Education Week, 2012

    2012-01-01

    When it comes to educational challenges, the nation's 12.1 million Hispanic schoolchildren face plenty: language, poverty, lower-than-average graduation rates for high school and college, and, more recently, a wave of laws targeting illegal immigrants that has made school seem like less of a safe haven for Hispanic students in some states. Yet, as…

  19. Career Education for Mental Health Workers. Techniques of Intervention. Human Service Instructional Series. Module No. 4.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Malchon, Margaret J.

    This module on techniques of intervention is one of a set of six developed to prepare human services workers for the changing mental health service delivery system. Following notes on the target population (community college students), module length (51 class hours), and suggested class size (15-25 students), the module contains the following…

  20. Complexity and Targeting in Federal Student Aid: A Quantitative Analysis. NBER Working Paper No. 13801

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dynarski, Susan; Scott-Clayton, Judith E.

    2008-01-01

    A growing body of empirical evidence shows that some financial aid programs increase college enrollment. Puzzlingly, there is little compelling evidence that Pell Grants and Stafford Loans, the primary federal student aid programs, are effective in achieving this goal. In this paper, we provide an in-depth review of this evidence, which taken as a…

  1. Applying Multi-Theory Model (MTM) of Health Behavior Change to Predict Water Consumption Instead of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Manoj; Catalano, Hannah Priest; Nahar, Vinayak K; Lingam, Vimala C; Johnson, Paul; Ford, M Allison

    2017-02-25

    A substantial proportion of college students to not drink enough water and consume sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). Consumption of SSBs is associated with weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, dental carries, and increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Hence, the purpose of this study was to use the multi-theory model (MTM) in predicting initiation and sustenance of plain water consumption instead of sugar-sweetened beverages among college students. A cross-sectional study. In this cross-sectional study, a 37-item valid and reliable MTM-based survey was administered to college students in 2016 via Qualtrics at a large public university in the Southeastern United States. Overall, 410 students responded to the survey; of those, 174 were eligible for the study and completed it. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that 61.8% of the variance in the initiation of drinking plain water instead of SSBs was explained by behavioral confidence (P<0.001) and changes in the physical environment (P<0.001). Further, 58.3% of the variance in the sustenance of drinking plain water instead of SSBs was explained by emotional transformation (P<0.001) and practice for change (P=0.001). Multi-theory model of health behavior change is a robust theory for predicting plain water consumption instead of SSBs in college students. Interventions should be developed based on this theory for this target population.

  2. Examining the Efficacy of a Personalized Normative Feedback Intervention to Reduce College Student Gambling

    PubMed Central

    Celio, Mark A.; Lisman, Stephen A.

    2014-01-01

    Objective To evaluate the efficacy of a stand-alone personalized normative feedback (PNF) intervention targeting misperceptions of gambling among college students. Participants Undergraduates (N=136; 55% male) who reported gambling in the past 30 days were recruited between September 2011 and March 2012. Methods Using a randomized clinical trial design, participants were assigned to receive either PNF or an attention control task. In addition to self-report, this study used two computer-based risk tasks framed as “gambling opportunities” to assess cognitive and behavioral change at one week post intervention. Results After one week, participants receiving PNF showed a marked decrease in perception of other students’ gambling, and evinced lower risk-taking performance on two analog measures of gambling. Conclusions Changes in both self-reported perceived norms and analog gambling behavior suggest that a single, stand-alone PNF intervention may modify gambling among college students. Whether it can impact gambling outside of the lab remains untested. PMID:24295507

  3. Systematic review of dietary interventions with college students: directions for future research and practice.

    PubMed

    Kelly, Nichole R; Mazzeo, Suzanne E; Bean, Melanie K

    2013-01-01

    To clarify directions for research and practice, research literature evaluating nutrition and dietary interventions in college and university settings was reviewed. Systematic search of database literature. Postsecondary education. Fourteen research articles evaluating randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental interventions targeting dietary outcomes. Diet/nutrition intake, knowledge, motivation, self-efficacy, barriers, intentions, social support, self-regulation, outcome expectations, and sales. Systematic search of 936 articles and review of 14 articles meeting search criteria. Some in-person interventions (n = 6) show promise in improving students' dietary behaviors, although changes were minimal. The inclusion of self-regulation components, including self-monitoring and goal setting, may maximize outcomes. Dietary outcomes from online interventions (n = 5) were less promising overall, although they may be more effective with a subset of college students early in their readiness to change their eating habits. Environmental approaches (n = 3) may increase the sale of healthy food by serving as visual cues-to-action. A number of intervention approaches show promise for improving college students' dietary habits. However, much of this research has methodological limitations, rendering it difficult to draw conclusions across studies and hindering dissemination efforts. Copyright © 2013 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Solar CalPoly

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Stannard, Sandra

    The target budget of INhouse was about $650,000 for all materials and student expenses of the Solar Decathlon competition. In order to reach our goal, Cal Poly students and faculty worked with the College of Architecture and Environmental Design’s External Relations office to actively fundraise for INhouse. Students connected with Cal Poly alumni through phone calls, postal mail, email, and live presentations to reach as many alumni in the state of California as possible. Before construction begun, students and faculty met on a weekly basis to determine what brands of materials for the home to use and who would bemore » responsible for reaching out to the company to seek a donation. Our College of Architecture and Environmental Design’s administration was essential in helping us fundraise. For some time, the college was hoping to depend on about half of our fundraising expenses to be covered through the sale of INhouse. However, plans to sell the home fell through during the design development phase; the college turned to the sale of a different asset in to help us meet our goal. If we were to do this project again, completing the design concept and securing a future location of our home sooner would have enhanced our fundraising activities.« less

  5. Male College Students Using Sexually Aggressive Strategies: Findings on the Interpersonal Relationship Profile.

    PubMed

    Carvalho, Joana; Sá, Ana

    2017-01-01

    Limited interpersonal skills and relationship deficits are recognized as risk factors for sexual aggression as committed by convicted sexual offenders. Yet, less severe forms of sexual aggression are frequently perpetrated by nonforensic samples, including highly educated samples. This study was aimed at characterizing a sample of male college students reporting sexually aggressive strategies as a means to initiate sexual intercourse according to a set of interpersonal relationship factors, thus extending the knowledge on the role of interpersonal dimensions to the distinct contexts of sexual violence. Three hundred eight male college students completed a web survey assessing adult attachment styles, intimacy perception, interpersonal style, and psychosocial adjustment. Findings showed that 162 students (>50%) reported to have used some form of sexually aggressive strategy against women to initiate sexual contact. After controlling for the effects of social desirability, participants reporting sexually aggressive strategies presented significantly less confidence trusting others, more lack of perceived personal validation (within relationships), a more aggressive interpersonal style, and higher levels of hostility. Findings suggest that sexual violence, as measured in the context of college samples, may have an interpersonal nature, reflecting deficient social and intimacy skills; preventive programs are thus expected to enhance interpersonal relationship strategies as well as target individuals' perceived interpersonal vulnerability.

  6. Today's Recruitment Trends.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sugarman, Joe

    1996-01-01

    Five trends in the creation of college student recruitment publications are identified: (1) using market research and marketing principles; (2) targeting specific groups; (3) honesty about campus personality and reputation; (4) cost-effectiveness; and (5) creativity in using effective copy and design. (MSE)

  7. Direct Marketing Goes to College.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Merante, Joseph A.

    1980-01-01

    The only form of marketing important to an admissions department, direct marketing, whose principal vehicle is direct mail, is identified as an organized method for sharing and distributing information to prospective students. Target audiences, marketing administration, and effective mailings are discussed. (MLW)

  8. A systems approach to college drinking: development of a deterministic model for testing alcohol control policies.

    PubMed

    Scribner, Richard; Ackleh, Azmy S; Fitzpatrick, Ben G; Jacquez, Geoffrey; Thibodeaux, Jeremy J; Rommel, Robert; Simonsen, Neal

    2009-09-01

    The misuse and abuse of alcohol among college students remain persistent problems. Using a systems approach to understand the dynamics of student drinking behavior and thus forecasting the impact of campus policy to address the problem represents a novel approach. Toward this end, the successful development of a predictive mathematical model of college drinking would represent a significant advance for prevention efforts. A deterministic, compartmental model of college drinking was developed, incorporating three processes: (1) individual factors, (2) social interactions, and (3) social norms. The model quantifies these processes in terms of the movement of students between drinking compartments characterized by five styles of college drinking: abstainers, light drinkers, moderate drinkers, problem drinkers, and heavy episodic drinkers. Predictions from the model were first compared with actual campus-level data and then used to predict the effects of several simulated interventions to address heavy episodic drinking. First, the model provides a reasonable fit of actual drinking styles of students attending Social Norms Marketing Research Project campuses varying by "wetness" and by drinking styles of matriculating students. Second, the model predicts that a combination of simulated interventions targeting heavy episodic drinkers at a moderately "dry" campus would extinguish heavy episodic drinkers, replacing them with light and moderate drinkers. Instituting the same combination of simulated interventions at a moderately "wet" campus would result in only a moderate reduction in heavy episodic drinkers (i.e., 50% to 35%). A simple, five-state compartmental model adequately predicted the actual drinking patterns of students from a variety of campuses surveyed in the Social Norms Marketing Research Project study. The model predicted the impact on drinking patterns of several simulated interventions to address heavy episodic drinking on various types of campuses.

  9. A Systems Approach to College Drinking: Development of a Deterministic Model for Testing Alcohol Control Policies*

    PubMed Central

    Scribner, Richard; Ackleh, Azmy S.; Fitzpatrick, Ben G.; Jacquez, Geoffrey; Thibodeaux, Jeremy J.; Rommel, Robert; Simonsen, Neal

    2009-01-01

    Objective: The misuse and abuse of alcohol among college students remain persistent problems. Using a systems approach to understand the dynamics of student drinking behavior and thus forecasting the impact of campus policy to address the problem represents a novel approach. Toward this end, the successful development of a predictive mathematical model of college drinking would represent a significant advance for prevention efforts. Method: A deterministic, compartmental model of college drinking was developed, incorporating three processes: (1) individual factors, (2) social interactions, and (3) social norms. The model quantifies these processes in terms of the movement of students between drinking compartments characterized by five styles of college drinking: abstainers, light drinkers, moderate drinkers, problem drinkers, and heavy episodic drinkers. Predictions from the model were first compared with actual campus-level data and then used to predict the effects of several simulated interventions to address heavy episodic drinking. Results: First, the model provides a reasonable fit of actual drinking styles of students attending Social Norms Marketing Research Project campuses varying by “wetness” and by drinking styles of matriculating students. Second, the model predicts that a combination of simulated interventions targeting heavy episodic drinkers at a moderately “dry” campus would extinguish heavy episodic drinkers, replacing them with light and moderate drinkers. Instituting the same combination of simulated interventions at a moderately “wet” campus would result in only a moderate reduction in heavy episodic drinkers (i.e., 50% to 35%). Conclusions: A simple, five-state compartmental model adequately predicted the actual drinking patterns of students from a variety of campuses surveyed in the Social Norms Marketing Research Project study. The model predicted the impact on drinking patterns of several simulated interventions to address heavy episodic drinking on various types of campuses. PMID:19737506

  10. Smoking Patterns and Their Relationship to Drinking Among First-Year College Students

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Introduction: Unlike older smokers, young adult smokers frequently engage in light and intermittent smoking. It remains unclear how stable such smoking patterns are over time, as substantial variability exists between these smokers. This study identified subgroups of college student smokers based on the trajectory of their smoking frequency during the first year of college, thereby examining stability versus instability over time. We then tested if the interplay between drinking and smoking differed in the identified groups to determine the relative role drinking may play in intermittent versus more regular smoking. Methods: Incoming college students at 3 institutions completed online biweekly surveys of their daily substance use throughout the first year of college. Students who reported smoking at least 1 cigarette during this year (n = 266) were included in analyses (70% female, 74% White). Results: Group-based trajectory modeling identified 5 groups of smokers, 3 of which maintained their smoking frequency throughout the year (77%), and 2 groups of infrequent smokers showed significant trends (11% increasing, 12% decreasing). Notably, nondaily smoking was maintained at different specific frequencies (e.g., 1 vs. 3 days per week). Identified groups differed in the relationship between drinking and smoking, where cooccurrence was particularly strong among infrequent smokers, and trends in smoking quantity differed between groups. Conclusions: While there was a diversity of smoking patterns in the sample, patterns of intermittent smoking remain relatively stable for a majority of students throughout the year. Intervention messages targeting drinking and smoking should be tailored on the basis of smoking frequency. PMID:24415586

  11. Let's talk about sleep: a systematic review of psychological interventions to improve sleep in college students.

    PubMed

    Friedrich, Anja; Schlarb, Angelika A

    2018-02-01

    Sleep problems are a common occurrence in college students. Insomnia, nightmares and impaired sleep quality lead to several mental health issues, as well as impaired academic performance. Although different sleep programmes exist, a systematic overview comparing their effectiveness is still missing. This systematic review aims to provide an overview of psychological interventions to improve sleep in college students. Seven databases were searched from November to December 2016 (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cinahl, Cochrane Library, PubMed, OpenSigle). The search string included search terms from three different topics: sleep, intervention and college students. Outcome measures included subjective as well as objective measures and focused on sleep, sleep-related and mental health variables. Twenty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria. They were assigned to four intervention categories: (1) sleep hygiene, (2) cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), (3) relaxation, mindfulness and hypnotherapy and (4) other psychotherapeutic interventions. Fifteen studies were randomized controlled trials. While sleep hygiene interventions provided small to medium effects, the CBTs showed large effects. The variability of the effect sizes was especially large in the relaxation category, ranging from very small to very large effect sizes. Other psychotherapeutic interventions showed medium effects. CBT approaches provided the best effects for the improvement of different sleep variables in college students. Five studies included insomnia patients. The other three intervention categories also showed promising results with overall medium effects. In the future, CBT should be combined with relaxation techniques, mindfulness and hypnotherapy. Furthermore, the interventions should broaden their target group and include more sleep disorders. © 2017 European Sleep Research Society.

  12. Transfer adjustment experiences of underrepresented students of color in the sciences

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chang, June C.

    Two-year colleges have long served as the starting point for many students in higher education and particularly those of underrepresented backgrounds. In recent years, these institutions have been called upon to help address the high attrition rates facing the science and mathematics disciplines by promoting interest development and transfer of underrepresented students in these fields. This study examined the adjustment experiences of underrepresented students of color after transferring from community colleges to a four-year university in the sciences. By employing qualitative interviews with students of African, Latino, Pacific Island, and Southeast Asian descent, students' perceptions of the sciences at the two- and four-year campus, adjustment process, and benefits and detriments of taking the transfer route were the focus of this research. The findings show that transfer students experience a very different science culture at each institutional type in terms of pedagogy and curriculum and interactions with classmates and faculty. While students witnessed a collaborative science culture at the community college, they faced a highly competitive and individualistic environment at the university. The greater the difference encountered, the more difficult were students' adjustment. Adjustment was aided in two primary ways: socialization experiences before transferring and the development of common identity groups with other students who shared similar backgrounds, goals, and struggles. These groups formed organically at the two-year college but were more difficult to forge at the university. When present, however, they served as niches, sites of validation, and counter spaces within the larger university setting. It appears that starting at the community college benefited most participants by providing a nurturing environment that fostered their commitment to science. Some students felt that they would have been dissuaded from pursuing their majors had they only been exposed to the academic culture of the university. Implications of this research range from changes to classroom practices and continued support of academic support programs targeted at underrepresented students of color, to transforming the academic culture of research universities to provide a supportive and collaborative learning experience for all students in the sciences.

  13. Determinants of personal and household hygiene among college students in New York City, 2011

    PubMed Central

    Miko, Benjamin A.; Cohen, Bevin; Conway, Laurie; Gilman, Allan; Seward, Samuel L.; Larson, Elaine

    2013-01-01

    Background Although several studies have characterized the hygiene habits of college students, few have assessed the determinants underlying such behaviors. Objectives Our study sought to describe students' knowledge, practices, and beliefs about hygiene and determine whether there is an association between reported behaviors and frequency of illness. Methods A sample of 299 undergraduate students completed a questionnaire assessing demographics, personal and household hygiene behaviors, beliefs and knowledge about hygiene, and general health status. Results Variation in reported hygiene habits was noted across several demographic factors. Women reported “always” washing their hands after using the toilet (87.1%) more than men (65.3%, P = .001). Similarly, freshmen reported such behavior (80.4%) more than sophomores (71.9%), juniors (67.7%), or seniors (50%, P = .011). Whereas 96.6% of participants thought that handwashing was either “very important” or “somewhat important” for preventing disease, smaller proportions thought it could prevent upper respiratory infections (85.1%) or gastroenteritis (48.3%), specifically. There was no significant relationship between reported behaviors and self-reported health status. Conclusion The hygiene habits of college students may be motivated by perceptions of socially acceptable behavior rather than scientific knowledge. Interventions targeting the social norms of incoming and continuing students may be effective in improving hygiene determinants and ultimately hygiene practices. PMID:22464037

  14. Targeting New Markets.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Green, Craig A.

    1990-01-01

    Often necessary to meet enrollment goals in a competitive age, student recruitment from new sources requires a sound knowledge of marketing, solid research, effective organization, and institutional activities that will attract the desired populations. Experience at Westminster College (Utah) illustrates that the process is not particularly…

  15. Identifying Factors that Increase the Likelihood of Driving After Drinking among College Students

    PubMed Central

    LaBrie, Joseph W.; Kenney, Shannon R.; Mirza, Tehniat; Lac, Andrew

    2012-01-01

    Driving after drinking (DAD) is a serious public health concern found to be more common among college students than those of other age groups or same-aged non-college peers. The current study examined potential predictors of DAD among a dual-site sample of 3,753 (65% female, 58% Caucasian) college students. Results showed that 19.1% of respondents had driven after 3 or more drinks and 8.6% had driven after 5 or more drinks in the past three months. A logistic regression model showed that male status, fraternity or sorority affiliation, family history of alcohol abuse, medium or heavy drinking (as compared to light drinking), more approving self-attitudes towards DAD, and alcohol expectancies for sexual enhancement and risk/aggression, were independently associated with driving after drinking over and above covariates. These results extend the current understanding of this high risk drinking behavior in collegiate populations and provide implications for preventive strategies. Findings indicate that in addition to targeting at-risk subgroups, valuable directions for DAD-related interventions may include focusing on lowering both self-approval of DAD and alcohol-related expectancies, particularly those associated with risk/aggression and sexuality. PMID:21545868

  16. Effects of video modeling on communicative social skills of college students with Asperger syndrome.

    PubMed

    Mason, Rose A; Rispoli, Mandy; Ganz, Jennifer B; Boles, Margot B; Orr, Kristie

    2012-01-01

    Empirical support regarding effective interventions for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) within a postsecondary community is limited. Video modeling, an empirically supported intervention for children and adolescents with ASD, may prove effective in addressing the needs of individuals with ASD in higher education. This study evaluated the effects of video modeling without additional treatment components to improve social-communicative skills, specifically, eye contact, facial expression, and conversational turntaking in college students with ASD. This study utilized a multiple baseline single-case design across behaviors for two post-secondary students with ASD to evaluate the effects of the video modeling intervention. Large effect sizes and statistically significant change across all targeted skills for one participant and eye contact and turntaking for the other participant were obtained. The use of video modeling without additional intervention may increase the social skills of post-secondary students with ASD. Implications for future research are discussed.

  17. What Kind of Alumni Do Low-Income Students Become? An Investigation of the Relationship between Income-Status and Future Alumni Involvement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Laguilles, Jerold S.

    2013-01-01

    As colleges and universities seek to increase the enrollment of low-income students through targeted financial aid strategies, such as no-loans policies, little research has looked into how engaged these future alumni would be as volunteers or donors. Using data from administrative databases at a single institution, this study focused on three…

  18. Cross-cultural examination of college drinking culture in Spain, Argentina, and USA: Measurement invariance testing of the College Life Alcohol Salience Scale.

    PubMed

    Bravo, Adrian J; Pearson, Matthew R; Pilatti, Angelina; Read, Jennifer P; Mezquita, Laura; Ibáñez, Manuel I; Ortet, Generós

    2017-11-01

    Perceptions about what is "normal" drinking in college, measured by the College Life Alcohol Salience Scale (CLASS; 15 items), have been robustly associated with elevated levels of problematic alcohol use, yet the role of these beliefs has not been studied outside the U.S. The present work examined measurement invariance of the CLASS across sex, drinker status, and in individuals from three different countries (i.e., U.S., Argentina, Spain). Additional goals were to evaluate differences on the CLASS (i.e., latent mean differences) as a function of sex, drinker status and country and to compare construct validity (i.e., correlations with alcohol variables) across sex and different countries. A large sample of 1841 college students enrolled in universities from the U.S., Spain and Argentina completed, via an online survey, a battery of instruments that assess college alcohol beliefs, drinking motives, alcohol consumption and alcohol-related negative consequences. We found that a shortened 12-item version of the CLASS to be invariant across sex and drinker status, but only metric invariance was found across countries. As expected, men and drinkers showed significantly higher scores on the CLASS than women and non-drinkers, respectively. Bivariate correlations between CLASS scores and drinking outcomes strongly supported criterion-related validity of this measure across multiple countries and sex with differing strengths in relationships with alcohol-related constructs. Taken together, perceptions of the centrality of alcohol to the college experience appear to be an important target for college student alcohol interventions across various cultures and countries, especially for male college student drinkers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. GeoX: A New Pre-college Program to Attract Underrepresented Minorities and First Generation Students to the Geosciences

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miller, K. C.; Garcia, S. J.; Houser, C.; GeoX Team

    2011-12-01

    An emerging challenge in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education is the recruitment of underrepresented groups in those areas of the workforce. This paper describes the structure and first-year results of the Geosciences Exploration Summer Program (GeoX) at Texas A&M University. Recent evidence suggest that pipeline programs should target junior and senior high school students who are beginning to seriously consider future career choices and appropriate college programs. GeoX is an overnight program that takes place during the summer at Texas A&M University. Over the course of a week, GeoX participants interact with faculty from the College of Geosciences, administrators, current students, and community leaders through participation in inquiry-based learning activities, field trips, and evening social events. The aim of this project is to foster a further interest in pursuing geosciences as an undergraduate major in college and thereby increase participation in the geosciences by underrepresented ethnic minority students. With funding from industry and private donors, high achieving rising junior and rising senior students, with strong interest in science and math, were invited to participate in the program. Students and their parents were interviewed before and after the program to determine if it was successful in introducing and enhancing awareness of the: 1) various sub-disciplines in the geosciences, 2) benefits of academia and research, 3) career opportunities in each of those fields and 4) college admission process including financial aid and scholarship opportunities. Results of the survey suggest that the students had a very narrow and stereotypical view of the geosciences that was almost identical to the views of their parents. Following the program, the students had a more expanded and positive view of the geosciences compared to the pre-program survey and compared to their parents. While it remains to be seen how many of those students will apply to a geosciences program, the level of interest and the number of students identifying the geosciences as a likely college and career choice greatly increased. Students identified the wide range of field and laboratory activities (including atmospheric soundings, GPR, coring, etc.) and the excitement of the faculty involved as key aspects of the program and for introducing and enhancing their view of the geosciences.

  20. Broad social motives, alcohol use, and related problems: Mechanisms of risk from high school through college.

    PubMed

    Corbin, William R; Iwamoto, Derek K; Fromme, Kim

    2011-03-01

    Broad social motives (not specific to alcohol use) have been established as an important predictor of alcohol use and problems among college students, but we have little understanding of the mechanisms through which such motives operate. Thus, the current study examined broad social motives prior to college entry as a predictor of college drinking/problems and sought to identify potential mechanisms through which they are associated with increased risk. Participants comprised a sample of 2245 incoming college students (59.9% women) transitioning from high school through the college years. The first web-based survey was completed during the summer prior to matriculation with participants reporting on their behavior during the spring of high school senior year. Additional surveys were administered each academic semester through the fall of the fourth year. High school social motives were examined as a predictor of changes in alcohol use/problems from high school through the senior year, with changes in descriptive norms, personal drinking values, and alcohol expectancies from high school to sophomore year examined as possible mediators of these relations. Descriptive norms, personal drinking values, and alcohol expectancies were robust mediators of broad social motives for both alcohol use and problems. Although there were a few differences by race/ethnicity in the alcohol use model, the mechanisms through which broad social motives operated were largely invariant across groups. These findings shed light on important mechanisms that can be targeted in prevention programs, particularly those that target groups who are likely to be high in broad social motives (e.g., fraternity/sorority members). Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Mental health in American colleges and universities: variation across student subgroups and across campuses.

    PubMed

    Eisenberg, Daniel; Hunt, Justin; Speer, Nicole

    2013-01-01

    We estimated the prevalence and correlates of mental health problems among college students in the United States. In 2007 and 2009, we administered online surveys with brief mental health screens to random samples of students at 26 campuses nationwide. We used sample probability weights to adjust for survey nonresponse. A total of 14,175 students completed the survey, corresponding to a 44% participation rate. The prevalence of positive screens was 17.3% for depression, 4.1% for panic disorder, 7.0% for generalized anxiety, 6.3% for suicidal ideation, and 15.3% for nonsuicidal self-injury. Mental health problems were significantly associated with sex, race/ethnicity, religiosity, relationship status, living on campus, and financial situation. The prevalence of conditions varied substantially across the campuses, although campus-level variation was still a small proportion of overall variation in student mental health. The findings offer a starting point for identifying individual and contextual factors that may be useful to target in intervention strategies.

  2. Impairment of functioning and substance use in a Latino population.

    PubMed

    Mercado, Alfonso; Talavera Garza, Liza; Popan, Jason; Finn-Nguyen, Kim; Sharma, Rachita; Colunga-Rodriguez, Cecilia

    2017-12-20

    This study investigated the association of academic outcomes, romantic relationships, and substance use (tobacco, marijuana, cocaine) with alcohol dependence in a sample of Latino (N = 1,143) college students. Secondary data analysis was conducted on measures of grade point average in college, relationship satisfaction, drug use, and alcohol dependence. Latino college students who reported alcohol dependency had significant relational dissatisfaction and poor academic outcomes. Thus, lower grade point average and relationship dissatisfaction were associated with alcohol dependence. By focusing specifically on a Mexican American population, this study adds important information to current research regarding the commonality and differences across cultural groups regarding drug use and dependence and further clarifies the risk factors associated with substance use and dependency in a population that is vulnerable for at-risk behaviors. This study also offers insight into potential targets of treatment and intervention for this cultural group.

  3. Precollege Predictors of Incapacitated Rape Among Female Students in Their First Year of College

    PubMed Central

    Carey, Kate B.; Durney, Sarah E.; Shepardson, Robyn L.; Carey, Michael P.

    2015-01-01

    Objective: The first year of college is an important transitional period for young adults; it is also a period associated with elevated risk of incapacitated rape (IR) for female students. The goal of this study was to identify prospective risk factors associated with experiencing attempted or completed IR during the first year of college. Method: Using a prospective cohort design, we recruited 483 incoming first-year female students. Participants completed a baseline survey and three follow-up surveys over the next year. At baseline, we assessed precollege alcohol use, marijuana use, sexual behavior, and, for the subset of sexually experienced participants, sex-related alcohol expectancies. At the baseline and all follow-ups, we assessed sexual victimization. Results: Approximately 1 in 6 women (18%) reported IR before entering college, and 15% reported IR during their first year of college. In bivariate analyses, precollege IR history, precollege heavy episodic drinking, number of precollege sexual partners, and sex-related alcohol expectancies (enhancement and disinhibition) predicted first-year IR. In multivariate analyses with the entire sample, only precollege IR (odds ratio = 4.98, p < .001) remained a significant predictor. However, among the subset of sexually experienced participants, both enhancement expectancies and precollege IR predicted IR during the study year. Conclusions: IR during the first year of college is independently associated with a history of IR and with expectancies about alcohol’s enhancement of sexual experience. Alcohol expectancies are a modifiable risk factor that may be a promising target for prevention efforts. PMID:26562590

  4. African-American college student attitudes toward physics and their effect on achievement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Drake, Carl Timothy

    The purpose of this study was to investigate factors affecting the attitudes that African-American college students have towards introductory college physics. The population targeted for this study consisted of African-American males and females enrolled in introductory college physics classes at an urban public historical black college or university (HBCU) located in the southeastern United States. Nine of the Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitude Scales, modified for physics, were used to analyze the attitudes of the 135 participants enrolled in an introductory college physics class. The nine scales used to measure the students' attitudes were Attitude Toward Success in Physics Scale (AS), The Physics as a Male Domain Scale (MD), The Mother Scale (M), The Father Scale (F), The Teacher Scale (T), The Confidence in Learning Physics Scale (C), The Physics Anxiety Scale (A), The Effectance Motivation Scale in Physics (E), and The Physics Usefulness Scale (U). Hypothesis I states that there is a significant difference in the domain scores of African-American college students in the Fennema-Sherman Math Attitudes Scales adapted for physics. It was found using a repeated measures ANOVA that there was a significant difference between the attitudes of African-Americans on the nine attitude scales of the Fennema-Sherman Math Attitude Scales, F(8,992) = 43.09, p < .001. Hypothesis II states that there is a statistically significant difference in domain scores between African-American males and African-American females in the Fennema-Sherman Attitude Scales. It was found using a MANOVA that there was not a significant difference between the domain scores of African-American males and African-American females, F(8, 116) = .38, p > .05. Hypothesis III states that there is a statistically significant relationship between attitude towards physics and achievement for African-American students. The students with good attitudes toward physics would have a higher level of achievement. The multiple linear regression analysis revealed that there was a significant relationship between a good attitude toward physics and achievement in the class. The result of the analysis implied that 18.9% of the grade could be explained by the domain scales.

  5. Using the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction to Understand College Students' STI Testing Beliefs, Intentions, and Behaviors.

    PubMed

    Wombacher, Kevin; Dai, Minhao; Matig, Jacob J; Harrington, Nancy Grant

    2018-03-22

    To identify salient behavioral determinants related to STI testing among college students by testing a model based on the integrative model of behavioral (IMBP) prediction. 265 undergraduate students from a large university in the Southeastern US. Formative and survey research to test an IMBP-based model that explores the relationships between determinants and STI testing intention and behavior. Results of path analyses supported a model in which attitudinal beliefs predicted intention and intention predicted behavior. Normative beliefs and behavioral control beliefs were not significant in the model; however, select individual normative and control beliefs were significantly correlated with intention and behavior. Attitudinal beliefs are the strongest predictor of STI testing intention and behavior. Future efforts to increase STI testing rates should identify and target salient attitudinal beliefs.

  6. Getting to the Heart of Being the Match: A Qualitative Analysis of Bone Marrow Donor Recruitment and Retention Among College Students

    PubMed Central

    Rogers, Charles R.; Jeon, Kwon Chan; Rosen, Brittany

    2014-01-01

    Introduction For those with certain blood or bone cancers, bone marrow donation can mean the difference between life and death. The National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP) operates the largest bone marrow registry of potential donors; however, at times when potential matches are identified, many donors opt not to donate. The purpose of this study was to describe perspectives from college-aged students on recruitment to a bone marrow donation registry and retention to the registry/follow-through with the donation process. Methods Researchers employed a one-time qualitative study using 7 focus groups comprised of 10 – 11 college students each (n = 76). Results Results yielded three overarching themes: donor recruitment, donor retention, and factors contributing to the overall donation process. More specifically, this study identified key factors affecting bone marrow donation in an essential population: facilitators, barriers, knowledge, and ‘goodness’. Additionally, marketing and communication were found to be major determinants of potential donors staying with the NMDP. Conclusion Better explanations and awareness/promotion campaigns are necessary for recruiting potential donors to the NMDP and to increase the likelihood that the donor will follow through with the donation should a potential match be identified. Recommendations from this study may improve recruitment and retention rates among the NMDP campaigns targeting college students. PMID:25632376

  7. A Tale of Three Centers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lubey, Lynn; Huffman, Dennis; Grinberg, Nancy

    2011-01-01

    Prince George's Community College has developed three distinct models for off-campus centers. Examination of each model reveals the impact of variables such as location, ownership, design, target audience for a particular site (student demographics, community needs, and access issues), the role of partnerships with other institutions, and…

  8. How Generalization Inferences Are Constructed in Expository Text Comprehension

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ritchey, Kristin A.

    2011-01-01

    Three questions regarding adult readers' processing of generalization inferences (conceptually broad statements that subsume several specific statements) are investigated. College students (N=193) read expository texts containing target statements that were consistent, inconsistent, or off-topic in relation to a generalization implied by one…

  9. Using an alternate reality game to increase physical activity and decrease obesity risk of college students.

    PubMed

    Johnston, Jeanne D; Massey, Anne P; Marker-Hoffman, Rickie Lee

    2012-07-01

    This quasi-experimental study investigated a game intervention--specifically, an alternate reality game (ARG)--as a means to influence college students' physical activity (PA). An ARG is an interactive narrative that takes place in the real world and uses multiple media to reveal a story. Three sections of a college health course (n = 115 freshman students) were assigned either to a game group that played the ARG or to a comparison group that learned how to use exercise equipment in weekly laboratory sessions. Pre- and post-intervention measures included weight, waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), percentage body fat (PBF), and self-reported moderate physical activity (MPA) and vigorous physical activity (VPA), and PA (steps/week). A significant group x time interaction (p = .001) was detected for PA, with a significant increase in PA for the game (p < .001) versus a significant decrease (p = .001) for the comparison group. Significant within-group increases for weight (p = .001), BMI (p = .001), and PBF (p = .001) were detected. A significant group x time interaction (p = .001) was detected when analyzing self-reported VPA, with both groups reporting decreases in VPA over time; however, the decrease was only significant for the comparison group (p < .001). No significant group differences were found for MPA. It is important that any intervention meet the needs and interests of its target population. Here, the ARG was designed in light of the learning preferences of today's college students--collaborative and social, experiential and media-rich. Our results provide preliminary evidence that a game intervention can positively influence PA within the college student population. © 2012 Diabetes Technology Society.

  10. Trauma exposure and heavy drinking and drug use among college students: Identifying the roles of negative and positive affect lability in a daily diary study.

    PubMed

    Weiss, Nicole H; Bold, Krysten W; Contractor, Ateka A; Sullivan, Tami P; Armeli, Stephen; Tennen, Howard

    2018-04-01

    Trauma exposure is linked to heavy drinking and drug use among college students. Extant research reveals positive associations between negative affect lability and both trauma exposure and alcohol use. This study aimed to extend past research by using daily diary methods to test whether (a) individuals with (versus without) trauma exposure experience greater negative and positive affect lability, (b) negative and positive affect lability are associated with heavy drinking and drug use, and (c) negative and positive affect lability mediate the relations between trauma exposure and heavy drinking and drug use. Participants were 1640 college students (M age=19.2, 54% female, 80% European American) who provided daily diary data for 30days via online surveys. Daily diaries assessed negative and positive affect and substance use (i.e., percent days of heavy drinking, percent days of drug use, total number of drugs used). Individuals with (versus without) a history of trauma exposure demonstrated higher levels of negative and positive affect lability. Negative, but not positive, affect lability was associated with percent days of heavy drinking, percent days of drug use, and total number of drugs used, and mediated the associations between trauma exposure and heavy drinking and drug use outcomes. Findings provide support for the underlying role of negative affect lability in the relations between trauma exposure and heavy drinking and drug use among college students, suggesting that treatments targeting negative affect lability may potentially serve to reduce heavy drinking and drug use among trauma-exposed college students. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Distance education: The Introduction to College Chemistry course

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rice, Lisa A.

    The purpose of this study was to compare a group of students in a traditional introductory college chemistry course to their distance learning counterparts. Both of the groups were required to have videotaped lessons and workbooks, but the traditional group met for two and one half hours each week with the instructor, whereas the distance students were not obligated to attend classroom meetings. The same instructor taught both of the groups and both were given equal access opportunities to the instructor beyond class meetings. The literature review included in this study indicated that distance learning has changed from a less popular alternative method for study to the forefront in modern academic institutions. The two target populations for this study were students enrolled in the Edison Community College Introduction to College Chemistry videotaped course and students taking the same course in a traditional setting. The study was conducted over a two consecutive semester interval, from August 2002 through May 2003. These two groups were compared on a number of items including gender, student attitudes about their own learning style, ethnicity, and final course grade. Information regarding attrition and reasons for choosing to take the course was collected. The results of this study found a significant difference in the number of students who withdrew from each course, with the distance students having the greater attrition rate. Gender and ethnicity were not significant in terms of student success when comparing the two groups. The self-reported behavior types showed no significant correlation to success for either the traditional or the distance students. However, many of the distance students felt that meeting occasionally for a face-to-face laboratory course would have been beneficial. Suggested applications of this study include strategies for a more successful distance learning experience for students. Also, laboratory courses such as chemistry have some inherent concerns that institutions must consider before offering such a course in a distance modality.

  12. Encouraging Student Participation While Designing Writing Exercises

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Narayanan, M.

    2017-12-01

    Encouraging student participation while designing writing exercises requires a certain pragmatic approach. Wilbert James McKeachie is the author of a widely read textbook on college teaching. McKeachie was a longtime faculty member at the University of Michigan. He served as president of the American Psychological Association, the American Psychological Foundation and the American Association of Higher Education. In his famous book Teaching and Learning in the College Classroom, McKeachie provides an introduction and notes the role of research in identifying new goals for higher education. He also offers a conceptual framework based on a student mediation model and a focuses on the processs-product relationships between faculty teacher behavior and student learning outcomes. McKeachie' s Teaching Tips provides helpful strategies for dealing with both the everyday problems of university teaching and those that arise in trying to maximize learning for every student. The book does not suggest a set of recipes to be followed mechanically; it gives instructors the tools they need to deal with the ever-changing dynamics of teaching and learning. First, it is extremely important to define the target skill areas and means of implementation. Next, the professor can then proceed to focus on the techniques that could be employed to ensure student participation. This includes selection of an appropriate topic that is relevant to the field of study as well as classroom learning experiences. By pragmatically combining these objectives, the teacher can expect both enthusiasm and effective learning among the student population. McKeachie, Wilbert James. (1980) Learning, Cognition and College Teaching. San Francisco: Jossey - Bass McKeachie, Wilbert James. (1980) Teaching Tips: A Guidebook for the Beginning College Teacher Lexington, MASS. : Heath. 1986. ISBN: 0669067520 McKeachie, Wilbert James., et. al. (2001) Teaching Tips (Eleventh Edition): Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers by Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN: 0618116494.

  13. Racial and Ethnic Differences in Problem Gambling among College Students.

    PubMed

    Rinker, Dipali Venkataraman; Rodriguez, Lindsey M; Krieger, Heather; Tackett, Jennifer L; Neighbors, Clayton

    2016-06-01

    The college years are a formative period where the risk for development of problematic gambling is high. Research examining racial and ethnic differences in gambling behaviors has been limited and inconsistent. The aims of this study were to examine racial and ethnic differences in problem gambling among a large sample of college students. Undergraduates (N = 3058) from a large southern university completed an online screening questionnaire which included demographics, gambling frequency, gambling expenditure (i.e. money lost) in the previous 6 months, and the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS). Negative binomial regression results indicated that Asian participants gambled less frequently than participants who were Caucasian or Hispanic/Latino(a), but spent more money than participants who were African-American (AA)/Black or Hispanic/Latino(a). A significantly larger proportion of Asian students met probable pathological gambling criteria (SOGS 5+; 7.8 %) and at-risk gambling criteria (SOGS 3+; 16.3 %)) than Caucasian (5.2; 10.1 %), AA/Black (3.9; 10.2 %), or Hispanic/Latino(a) (3.6; 9.4 %) students. Additionally, a significantly larger proportion of Asian students endorsed problematic gambling indicators such as lying about losses, feeling guilty about gambling, feeling like they had a gambling problem, being criticized for their gambling, feeling like they couldn't stop gambling, losing time from school or work due to gambling, having a family history of problem gambling, and arguing with close others about their gambling than Caucasian, AA/Black or Hispanic/Latino(a) students. Results suggest that Asian students may be a high-risk sub-group of college gamblers, and that there is a critical need for targeted interventions for this population.

  14. Relationships between college settings and student alcohol use before, during and after events: a multi-level study.

    PubMed

    Paschall, Mallie J; Saltz, Robert F

    2007-11-01

    We examined how alcohol risk is distributed based on college students' drinking before, during and after they go to certain settings. Students attending 14 California public universities (N=10,152) completed a web-based or mailed survey in the fall 2003 semester, which included questions about how many drinks they consumed before, during and after the last time they went to six settings/events: fraternity or sorority party, residence hall party, campus event (e.g. football game), off-campus party, bar/restaurant and outdoor setting (referent). Multi-level analyses were conducted in hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to examine relationships between type of setting and level of alcohol use before, during and after going to the setting, and possible age and gender differences in these relationships. Drinking episodes (N=24,207) were level 1 units, students were level 2 units and colleges were level 3 units. The highest drinking levels were observed during all settings/events except campus events, with the highest number of drinks being consumed at off-campus parties, followed by residence hall and fraternity/sorority parties. The number of drinks consumed before a fraternity/sorority party was higher than other settings/events. Age group and gender differences in relationships between type of setting/event and 'before,''during' and 'after' drinking levels also were observed. For example, going to a bar/restaurant (relative to an outdoor setting) was positively associated with 'during' drinks among students of legal drinking age while no relationship was observed for underage students. Findings of this study indicate differences in the extent to which college settings are associated with student drinking levels before, during and after related events, and may have implications for intervention strategies targeting different types of settings.

  15. Injunctive peer misperceptions and the mediation of self-approval on risk for driving after drinking among college students.

    PubMed

    Kenney, Shannon R; LaBrie, Joseph W; Lac, Andrew

    2013-01-01

    Of the alcohol-related risks faced by college students, it is arguable that none presents a greater public health hazard than driving after drinking (DAD). The present study examined the extent to which students' injunctive misperceptions toward DAD predicted the likelihood to engage in DAD and how this relation was mediated by self-approval of DAD. Participants were 2,848 college students (59.1% female, 64.6% Caucasian) from two U.S. West Coast universities who completed confidential web-based surveys assessing DAD beliefs and behaviors. Results revealed that respondents tended to overestimate their peers' approval toward DAD. Moreover, the subgroups likely to engage in DAD--men, 21 + years of age, Greek affiliated students, Caucasians, students with a family history of alcohol abuse--were also more likely to misperceive (i.e., overestimate) their peers' level of approval toward DAD. Using binary logistic regression analyses, self-approval of DAD emerged as an important statistical mediator in the relation between misperception of typical student approval toward DAD and engagement in DAD. Results point to the considerable role injunctive peer misperceptions may play in the pathways leading to drinking-driving risk. These findings provide preliminary support for DAD-specific social normative interventions, either complementing or supplementing existing alcohol interventions. By targeting high-risk student subgroups and communicating accurate drinking-driving norms, these proposed interventions have the potential to reduce self-approval and incidence of DAD.

  16. Prevalence and correlates of tobacco use amongst junior collegiates in twin cities of western Nepal: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey

    PubMed Central

    Sreeramareddy, Chandrashekhar T; Kishore, PV; Paudel, Jagadish; Menezes, Ritesh G

    2008-01-01

    Background College students are vulnerable to tobacco addiction. Tobacco industries often target college students for marketing. Studies about prevalence of tobacco use and its correlates among college students in Nepal are lacking. Methods A cross-sectional survey was carried out in two cities of western Nepal during January-March, 2007. A pre-tested, anonymous, self-administered questionnaire (in Nepali) adapted from Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) and a World Bank study was administered to a representative sample of 1600 students selected from 13 junior colleges by two-stage stratified random sampling. Results Overall prevalence of 'ever users' of tobacco products was 13.9%. Prevalence among boys and girls was 20.5% and 2.9% respectively. Prevalence of 'current users' was 10.2% (cigarette smoking: 9.4%, smokeless products: 6.5%, and both forms: 5.7%). Median age at initiation of cigarette smoking and chewable tobacco was 16 and 15 years respectively. Among the current cigarette smokers, 58.7% (88/150) were smoking at least one cigarette per day. Most (67.8%) 'Current users' purchased tobacco products by themselves from stores or got them from friends. Most of them (66.7%) smoked in tea stalls or restaurants followed by other public places (13.2%). The average daily expenditure was 20 Nepalese rupees (~0.3 USD) and most (59%) students reported of having adequate money to buy tobacco products. Majority (82%) of the students were exposed to tobacco advertisements through magazines/newspapers, and advertising hoardings during a period of 30 days prior to survey. The correlates of tobacco use were: age, gender, household asset score and knowledge about health risks, family members, teachers and friends using tobacco products, and purchasing tobacco products for family members. Conclusion School/college-based interventions like counseling to promote cessation among current users and tobacco education to prevent initiation are necessary. Enforcement of legislations to decrease availability, accessibility and affordability of tobacco products and policies to change social norms of tobacco use among parents and teachers are necessary to curb the tobacco use among college students. PMID:18366781

  17. Prevalence and correlates of tobacco use amongst junior collegiates in twin cities of western Nepal: a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey.

    PubMed

    Sreeramareddy, Chandrashekhar T; Kishore, Pv; Paudel, Jagadish; Menezes, Ritesh G

    2008-03-26

    College students are vulnerable to tobacco addiction. Tobacco industries often target college students for marketing. Studies about prevalence of tobacco use and its correlates among college students in Nepal are lacking. A cross-sectional survey was carried out in two cities of western Nepal during January-March, 2007. A pre-tested, anonymous, self-administered questionnaire (in Nepali) adapted from Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) and a World Bank study was administered to a representative sample of 1600 students selected from 13 junior colleges by two-stage stratified random sampling. Overall prevalence of 'ever users' of tobacco products was 13.9%. Prevalence among boys and girls was 20.5% and 2.9% respectively. Prevalence of 'current users' was 10.2% (cigarette smoking: 9.4%, smokeless products: 6.5%, and both forms: 5.7%). Median age at initiation of cigarette smoking and chewable tobacco was 16 and 15 years respectively. Among the current cigarette smokers, 58.7% (88/150) were smoking at least one cigarette per day. Most (67.8%) 'Current users' purchased tobacco products by themselves from stores or got them from friends. Most of them (66.7%) smoked in tea stalls or restaurants followed by other public places (13.2%). The average daily expenditure was 20 Nepalese rupees (approximately 0.3 USD) and most (59%) students reported of having adequate money to buy tobacco products. Majority (82%) of the students were exposed to tobacco advertisements through magazines/newspapers, and advertising hoardings during a period of 30 days prior to survey. The correlates of tobacco use were: age, gender, household asset score and knowledge about health risks, family members, teachers and friends using tobacco products, and purchasing tobacco products for family members. School/college-based interventions like counseling to promote cessation among current users and tobacco education to prevent initiation are necessary. Enforcement of legislations to decrease availability, accessibility and affordability of tobacco products and policies to change social norms of tobacco use among parents and teachers are necessary to curb the tobacco use among college students.

  18. More Useful, or Not So Bad? Evaluating the Effects of Interventions to Reduce Perceived Cost and Increase Utility Value with College Physics Students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rosenzweig, Emily Quinn

    In the present study I developed and evaluated the effects of two interventions designed to target students' motivation to learn in an introductory college physics course. One intervention was designed to improve students' perceptions of utility value and the other was designed to reduce students' perceptions of cost. Utility value and cost both are central constructs from Eccles and colleagues' expectancy-value theory of motivation (Eccles-Parsons et al., 1983). Students (N = 148) were randomly assigned to receive the cost intervention, the utility value intervention, or one of two control conditions. Compared to a survey control condition, neither intervention impacted overall students' motivation, measured at 3 time points over the semester, or their course outcomes. In moderation analyses, neither intervention impacted any students' perceptions of utility value. However, both interventions impacted some students' perceptions of cost, competence-related beliefs, and course outcomes positively while impacting these variables for other students negatively. The cost intervention benefitted consistently and in different ways students who had low baseline competence-related beliefs, low prior achievement, strong malleable beliefs about intelligence, or who were female. However, the intervention showed consistent undermining effects on motivation and/or achievement for students with strong fixed beliefs about intelligence. The utility value intervention benefitted consistently the course outcomes of students who had low baseline competence-related beliefs, low prior achievement, or who were female. The intervention showed less consistent undermining effects on motivation for students with strong fixed beliefs about intelligence, high baseline competence-related beliefs, or high prior achievement. Prior researchers have shown that utility value interventions improve course outcomes for some students who are at risk for underachievement. The present study extends prior work by showing that utility value interventions benefit similar students in college physics courses. It also demonstrates that a cost intervention is a viable way to impact at-risk students' physics course outcomes. Future researchers should consider carefully moderating variables and how to mitigate potential undermining effects for some students when implementing future expectancy-value-theory-based interventions in college physics courses.

  19. Explaining Intentions to Seek Help for Depressive Symptoms in the Context of Responsibility Message Framing.

    PubMed

    Lueck, Jennifer; Yzer, Marco

    2018-08-01

    U.S. college students are disproportionally affected by depression but typically do not seek help. To advance understanding of the role of health messages in shaping college students' help-seeking intentions, we used a reasoned action approach to experimentally investigate help-seeking intentions for depressive symptoms. Due to negative interpretation biases among those who suffer from depression, scholars have previously warned against attempts to decrease feelings of responsibility for one's depression in health messages. We tested the determinants of help-seeking intentions as a function of exposure to depression help-seeking messages that differed in responsibility cues. Findings revealed that in our sample low responsibility health message framing did not affect determinants of help-seeking intentions. We identified instrumental attitude (β = .53) and descriptive norms (β = .24) as determinants of intentions to seek help (R 2  = .42) across message conditions and across levels of depression. These findings indicate potentially important targets for messages that seek to increase help-seeking among depressed college students.

  20. Clarifying the relation of acculturative stress and anxiety/depressive symptoms: The role of anxiety sensitivity among Hispanic college students.

    PubMed

    Jardin, Charles; Mayorga, Nubia A; Bakhshaie, Jafar; Garey, Lorra; Viana, Andres G; Sharp, Carla; Cardoso, Jodi Berger; Zvolensky, Michael J

    2018-04-01

    Recent work has highlighted the link between acculturative stress and depression/anxiety symptoms among Hispanic young adults, but the nature of these relations is not well understood. The present study aimed to clarify the relation between acculturative stress and depression/anxiety symptoms by examining anxiety sensitivity, globally and via subfactors, as an explanatory variable. A cross-sectional sample of 788 Hispanic college students (80.8% female; M age = 20.83 years, SD = 1.93) was recruited from a southwestern public university and completed an online self-report assessment battery. Acculturative stress exerted an indirect effect, via the global construct of anxiety sensitivity, on depression symptoms, suicidality, anxious arousal, and social anxiety symptoms. Follow-up simultaneous analytic models demonstrated indirect effects via the anxiety sensitivity subfactors that were pathognomonic with each of the specific affective outcomes. These findings suggest the utility of assessing and targeting anxiety sensitivity in the treatment of acculturative stress-related depression/anxiety problems among Hispanic college students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  1. Determinants of personal and household hygiene among college students in New York City, 2011.

    PubMed

    Miko, Benjamin A; Cohen, Bevin; Conway, Laurie; Gilman, Allan; Seward, Samuel L; Larson, Elaine

    2012-12-01

    Although several studies have characterized the hygiene habits of college students, few have assessed the determinants underlying such behaviors. Our study sought to describe students' knowledge, practices, and beliefs about hygiene and determine whether there is an association between reported behaviors and frequency of illness. A sample of 299 undergraduate students completed a questionnaire assessing demographics, personal and household hygiene behaviors, beliefs and knowledge about hygiene, and general health status. Variation in reported hygiene habits was noted across several demographic factors. Women reported "always" washing their hands after using the toilet (87.1%) more than men (65.3%, P = .001). Similarly, freshmen reported such behavior (80.4%) more than sophomores (71.9%), juniors (67.7%), or seniors (50%, P = .011). Whereas 96.6% of participants thought that handwashing was either "very important" or "somewhat important" for preventing disease, smaller proportions thought it could prevent upper respiratory infections (85.1%) or gastroenteritis (48.3%), specifically. There was no significant relationship between reported behaviors and self-reported health status. The hygiene habits of college students may be motivated by perceptions of socially acceptable behavior rather than scientific knowledge. Interventions targeting the social norms of incoming and continuing students may be effective in improving hygiene determinants and ultimately hygiene practices. Copyright © 2012 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Educational Paths and Substance Use from Adolescence into Early Adulthood.

    PubMed

    Fleming, Charles B; White, Helene R; Haggerty, Kevin P; Abbott, Robert D; Catalano, Richard F

    2012-04-01

    This study examined how substance use trajectories from ages 15 to 23 in a community sample (N=921) were related to educational pathways. Rates of heavy drinking converged across different paths, but starting college at a 2-year college before transferring to a 4-year college was related to later increase in drinking after high school. Higher future educational attainment was negatively associated with high school marijuana use, but marijuana use increased after high school for individuals who went to 4-year colleges compared to those who did not. Noncollege youth had the highest rates of daily cigarette smoking throughout adolescence and early adulthood, while college dropouts had higher rates of smoking than college students who did not drop out. The findings support the need for universal prevention for early adult heavy drinking, addressing increases in drinking and marijuana use in 4-year colleges, and targeting marijuana use and cigarette smoking interventions at noncollege youth and college dropouts.

  3. Educational Paths and Substance Use from Adolescence into Early Adulthood

    PubMed Central

    Fleming, Charles B.; White, Helene R.; Haggerty, Kevin P.; Abbott, Robert D.; Catalano, Richard F.

    2013-01-01

    This study examined how substance use trajectories from ages 15 to 23 in a community sample (N=921) were related to educational pathways. Rates of heavy drinking converged across different paths, but starting college at a 2-year college before transferring to a 4-year college was related to later increase in drinking after high school. Higher future educational attainment was negatively associated with high school marijuana use, but marijuana use increased after high school for individuals who went to 4-year colleges compared to those who did not. Noncollege youth had the highest rates of daily cigarette smoking throughout adolescence and early adulthood, while college dropouts had higher rates of smoking than college students who did not drop out. The findings support the need for universal prevention for early adult heavy drinking, addressing increases in drinking and marijuana use in 4-year colleges, and targeting marijuana use and cigarette smoking interventions at noncollege youth and college dropouts. PMID:24403645

  4. Off-Campus Residence as a Risk Factor for Heavy Drinking Among College Students.

    PubMed

    Benz, Madeline B; DiBello, Angelo M; Balestrieri, Sara G; Miller, Mary Beth; Merrill, Jennifer E; Lowery, Ashley D; Mastroleo, Nadine R; Carey, Kate B

    2017-07-29

    College student alcohol use is a public health problem. The aim of this study was to examine associations between residence and drinking behaviors among college students. We hypothesized that living off-campus independently or with peers would be associated with riskier drinking than living on-campus, and living with parents would be associated with less risky drinking than living on-campus. We analyzed data from two separate studies conducted at two four-year universities in the Northeast. Study 1 examined data from 1286 students (57% female) attending a private university. In Study 2, analyses were replicated and extended with 2408 students (67% female) from a public university. We conducted regression analyses that controlled for age, race, gender, and class year to determine the unique association of residence on typical and peak drinking, frequency of heavy drinking, and alcohol-related consequences. In both samples, students living off-campus without parents reported more frequent alcohol consumption, larger drinking quantities, more frequent heavy drinking, and a greater number of alcohol-related consequences than students living on-campus (ps <.001). In Study 2, students living off-campus with their parents exhibited significantly fewer risky drinking behaviors than those living on-campus (ps <.001). Living off-campus - either independently or with peers - is a risk factor for heavy drinking and consequences. This group exhibits more risky drinking behaviors and alcohol-related consequences than students living on-campus, independent of age and class year. Therefore, students moving off-campus may be appropriate targets for alcohol misuse prevention programs.

  5. Effects of incidental pictorial and verbal adjuncts on text learning.

    PubMed

    Terry, W S; Howe, D C

    1988-01-01

    In this study, college students read and studied texts on historical figures in psychology, which were supplemented by drawings and/or brief biographies of these persons. In Experiment 1, a 2 x 2 between-groups design was conducted in which students received one adjunct with each text, both adjuncts, or neither. In Experiment 2, a single group of students received a within-subjects manipulation of the same adjunct conditions. In the between-groups comparison, students receiving biographies learned less of the target text passages, with the group receiving illustrations and biographies performing least accurately. In the within-subject conditions, texts accompanied by an illustration were better learned, with these students doing best on the text with both picture and biography. The results suggest that adjuncts may emphasize some texts, at the expense of learning from the other texts, but that too much adjunct material interferes with the learning of the target passages.

  6. A new approach to teaching veterinary public health at the Ohio State University.

    PubMed

    Hoet, Armando E; Caswell, Robert J; DeGraves, Fred J; Rajala-Schultz, Paivi J; Gebreyes, Wondwossen A; Saville, William J A; Wittum, Thomas E

    2008-01-01

    Public-health practitioners with expertise in the area of veterinary public health are expected to understand the prevention and control of zoonotic infectious diseases in both human and animal populations. This focus on multiple species is what makes the veterinary public health (VPH) official unique. The development of a new VPH specialization within the existing Master of Public Health (MPH) degree program at the Ohio State University represents a significant new collaboration between the College of Veterinary Medicine and the College of Public Health. The main objective of the VPH specialization is to educate and train professionals to provide them with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to protect and improve human health using a One Medicine approach. The program targets a population of students who will likely enter the professional veterinary medicine curriculum but have one year available to enhance their preparatory training in health sciences before beginning the program. A core series of VPH courses was initiated to complement the existing MPH course requirements. The program has been successful in attracting students from the primary target population, but it has also attracted students wanting the MPH as a terminal degree and veterinarians returning to school to expand their career options.

  7. Responding to Postsecondary Education Financing Pressures.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Longanecker, David A.

    Minnesota has adopted a financial policy that takes into account the increasing pressure to finance postsecondary education. The policy increases the price of college through increased tuition, while at the same time targeting sufficient financial aid to ensure educational opportunity for financially needy students. In practical terms, this…

  8. The Greenfoot Programming Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kolling, Michael

    2010-01-01

    Greenfoot is an educational integrated development environment aimed at learning and teaching programming. It is aimed at a target audience of students from about 14 years old upwards, and is also suitable for college- and university-level education. Greenfoot combines graphical, interactive output with programming in Java, a standard, text-based…

  9. Interventions to Reduce College Student Drinking: State of the Evidence for Mechanisms of Behavior Change

    PubMed Central

    Reid, Allecia E.; Carey, Kate B.

    2015-01-01

    Interventions to reduce college student drinking, although efficacious, generally yield only small effects on behavior change. Examining mechanisms of change may help to improve the magnitude of intervention effects by identifying effective and ineffective active ingredients. Informed by guidelines for establishing mechanisms of change, we conducted a systematic review of alcohol interventions for college students to identify (a) which constructs have been examined and received support as mediators, (b) circumstances that enhance the likelihood of detecting mediation, and (c) the extent of evidence for mechanisms of change. We identified 61 trials that examined 22 potential mediators of intervention efficacy. Descriptive norms consistently mediated normative feedback interventions. Motivation to change consistently failed to mediate motivational interviewing interventions. Multiple active ingredient interventions were not substantially more likely to find evidence of mediation than single ingredient interventions. Delivering intervention content remotely reduced likelihood of finding support for mediation. With the exception of descriptive norms, there is inadequate evidence for the psychosocial constructs purported as mechanisms of change in the college drinking literature. Evidence for mechanisms will be yielded by future studies that map all active ingredients to targeted psychosocial outcomes and that assess potential mediators early, inclusively, and at appropriate intervals following interventions. PMID:26164065

  10. 8 Things First-Year Students Fear about College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shanley, Mary Kay; Johnston, Julia

    2008-01-01

    There is this little secret college-bound and first-year college students outwardly deny: They are scared sick about going off to college. In the authors' interviews with 175 college students throughout the United States for "Survival Secrets of College Students" (Barron's, 2007) students talked--sometimes painfully--about what they wished they…

  11. A Technology-Mediated Behavioral Weight Gain Prevention Intervention for College Students: Controlled, Quasi-Experimental Study.

    PubMed

    West, Delia Smith; Monroe, Courtney M; Turner-McGrievy, Gabrielle; Sundstrom, Beth; Larsen, Chelsea; Magradey, Karen; Wilcox, Sara; Brandt, Heather M

    2016-06-13

    Both men and women are vulnerable to weight gain during the college years, and this phenomenon is linked to an increased risk of several chronic diseases and mortality. Technology represents an attractive medium for the delivery of weight control interventions focused on college students, given its reach and appeal among this population. However, few technology-mediated weight gain prevention interventions have been evaluated for college students. This study examined a new technology-based, social media-facilitated weight gain prevention intervention for college students. Undergraduates (n =58) in two sections of a public university course were allocated to either a behavioral weight gain prevention intervention (Healthy Weight, HW; N=29) or a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination awareness intervention (control; N=29). All students were enrolled, regardless of initial body weight or expressed interest in weight management. The interventions delivered 8 lessons via electronic newsletters and Facebook postings over 9 weeks, which were designed to foster social support and introduce relevant educational content. The HW intervention targeted behavioral strategies to prevent weight gain and provided participants with a Wi-Fi-enabled scale and an electronic physical activity tracker to facilitate weight regulation. A repeated-measures analysis of variance was conducted to examine within- and between-group differences in measures of self-reported weight control practices and objectively measured weight. Use of each intervention medium and device was objectively tracked, and intervention satisfaction measures were obtained. Students remained weight stable (HW: -0.48+1.9 kg; control: -0.45+1.4 kg), with no significant difference between groups over 9 weeks (P =.94). However, HW students reported a significantly greater increase in the number of appropriate weight control strategies than did controls (2.1+4.5 vs -1.1+3.4, respectively; P =.003) and there was no increase in inappropriate weight control behaviors (P =.11). More than 90% of students in the HW arm opened the electronic newsletters each week, and the average number of Facebook interactions (comments and likes) per student each week was 3.3+1.4. Each self-monitoring device was initialized by 90% of HW students. On average, they used their physical activity tracker for 23.7+15.2 days and their Wi-Fi scale for 14.1+13.1 days over the 9 weeks. HW students rated the intervention favorably. The short-term effect of this technology-based weight gain prevention intervention for college students is promising and merits evaluation over a longer duration to determine whether engagement and behavioral improvements positively affect weight outcomes and can be maintained.

  12. College students' perceptions of individuals with anorexia nervosa: irritation and admiration.

    PubMed

    Geerling, Danielle M; Saunders, Stephen M

    2015-04-01

    Stigmatizing attitudes against anorexia nervosa (AN) may act as barriers to treatment. Evaluated college students' perceptions of AN as compared to major depressive disorder (MDD). One-hundred two female undergraduates read vignettes describing targets with mild or severe MDD or AN, then rated biological, vanity, and self-responsibility attributions; feelings of admiration, sympathy, and anger; and behavioral dispositions toward coercion into treatment, imitation, and social distance. AN was perceived more negatively than MDD in terms of vanity attributions, self-responsibility attributions, and feelings of anger, but more positively in terms of admiration and imitation. This research demonstrates stigma-related mixed messages received by individuals with AN, which might be useful in improving eating disorders mental health literacy.

  13. Leveraging Avatars in 3D Virtual Environments ("Second Life") for Interactive Learning: The Moderating Role of the Behavioral Activation System "vs." Behavioral Inhibition System and the Mediating Role of Enjoyment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jin, Seung-A. Annie

    2011-01-01

    Within the Entertainment-Education (E-E) framework, two experiments examined the effects of avatar-based e-health education targeting college students. Study 1 (between-subjects factorial design experiment: N = 94) tested the effects of message framing in e-learning and the moderating role of students' motivational systems on their enjoyment of…

  14. College Students Helping America

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dote, Lillian; Cramer, Kevin; Dietz, Nathan; Grimm, Robert, Jr.

    2006-01-01

    To identify key trends in college student volunteering and to understand their implications for growing volunteering among college students, the Corporation has produced a new report, titled "College Students Helping America," the most comprehensive national report ever conducted on college student volunteering in the United States. The…

  15. When in Rome: factors associated with changes in drinking behavior among American college students studying abroad.

    PubMed

    Pedersen, Eric R; Larimer, Mary E; Lee, Christine M

    2010-09-01

    Study abroad programs have the potential to promote cultural, experiential, and personal development for escalating numbers of American college students each year. Despite reports that study abroad students may be at particular risk for increased and problematic alcohol use, there is limited empirical documentation of this risk. Thus, the present study used a longitudinal design to examine the factors associated with changes in alcohol use among college students studying in foreign countries. A sample of 177 students completed measures of demographics, drinking behavior, and perceived peer drinking behavior 1 month before departure and 1-month postreturn from study abroad trips. Analyses revealed that participants more than doubled their drinking during study abroad trips and those who drank at heavier levels while abroad returned home drinking at significantly elevated levels. This pattern of increased use while abroad was moderated by several factors, with participants studying abroad in Europe (e.g., Italy, France) and Oceania (e.g., Australia, New Zealand), those under the age of 21, those with higher intentions of drinking while abroad, and those with higher drinking perceptions of other study abroad students in their host country increased their alcohol consumption to a greater extent than other participants. Results suggest drinking while abroad is a concern warranting further investigation, especially regarding how changes in drinking may contribute to the experience of alcohol-related consequences abroad. Continued identification of the risk factors associated with increased drinking can help inform targeted predeparture preventive interventions with these students.

  16. Your professionalism is not my professionalism: congruence and variance in the views of medical students and faculty about professionalism.

    PubMed

    Sattar, Kamran; Roff, Sue; Meo, Sultan Ayoub

    2016-11-08

    Medical professionalism is an essential aspect of medical education and practice worldwide and it must be adopted according to different social and cultural contexts. We examined the current congruence and variance in the perception of professionalism in undergraduate medical students and faculty members in one medical school in Saudi Arabia. The target population was first year to final year medical students of College of Medicine, King Saud University. Out of a total of 1431 students at College of Medicine 750 students (52 %) participated in the study. Fifty faculty members from clinical and non-clinical departments of the College of Medicine were randomly selected for this study and all participated in the study. The respondents recorded their responses through the Bristol online survey system, using a bilingual (English and Arabic) version of the Dundee Polyprofessionalism Inventory I: Academic integrity, which has 34 items. There are 17 lapses (50 % of the total) in professional behaviour where none of the faculty recommend the ignore sanction while students recommended a variable ignore sanction in a range of 6-29 % for different behaviours. Students and faculty recommended similar sanctions for 5 lapses (14.7 % of the total) in professional behaviours. Furthermore, there is statistically significant two level difference between the sanctions approved by faculty and students in the recommended sanctions for 12 lapses (35 % of the total (p < 0.050). These results raised concerns in relation to the students' understanding of professionalism. It is therefore, important to enhance their learning around the attributes of medical professionalism.

  17. Persistence Rates in Texas Colleges: Comparing College Access and Texas B-on-Time Loans

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walker, Kimberly DeVette

    2012-01-01

    Student persistence in college education is a concern of policy makers and higher education administrators (College Board, 2010). Funding such as private student loans can contribute to financing a student's college degree. Many students are unable to attend college without borrowing private student loans. The purpose of this quantitative ex post…

  18. Community College Student Mental Health: A Comparative Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Katz, Daniel Seth; Davison, Karen

    2014-01-01

    This study explores community college student mental health by comparing the responses of California community college and traditional university students on the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment II (ACHA-NCHA II). Using MANOVA, we compared community college and traditional university students, examining…

  19. [Efficacy of mental health prevention and promotion strategies in higher education].

    PubMed

    Martineau, Marc; Beauchamp, Guy; Marcotte, Diane

    Recent studies inform of increases in reported mental health problems in higher education students worldwide, with suicide and homicide being the most dramatic outcomes. Improving first-hand intervention and implementing mental health prevention and promotion strategies in colleges and universities are amongst the most commonly mentioned means of addressing these concerns. While institutions increasingly favor mental health promotion, most programs have not been properly evaluated and most strategies cannot be replicated. The article analyses results obtained from literature reviews and meta-analysis focusing on mental health prevention and promotion strategies targeting college and university students. Mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral and relaxation strategies, as well as social ability training, appeared to be the most effective if they were practiced under supervision. The implementation of supervised mental health prevention strategies within a setting-based systematic and multifactorial promotion frame could significantly decrease mental health problems in higher education students.

  20. Asian Americans and Campus Climate: Investigating Group Differences around a Racial Incident

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnston, Marc P.; Yeung, Fanny P. F

    2014-01-01

    Racially biased incidents pervade college campuses warranting further attention to their influence on campus climate. This study examines one such incident that targeted Asian American students, who are the largest racial group at the compositionally diverse institution. Using the Diverse Learning Environments survey and the "naturally…

  1. Cyberbullying via Social Media

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whittaker, Elizabeth; Kowalski, Robin M.

    2015-01-01

    Recent years have witnessed a surge of research on cyberbullying. In this article, three studies examined prevalence rates of cyberbullying among college-age students, venues through which cyberbullying occurs, with a particular focus on social media, and perceptions of cyberbullying as a function of features of the target (e.g., peer, celebrity,…

  2. College Choice in a Brand Elimination Framework: The Administrator's Perspective.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosen, Deborah E.; Curran, James M.; Greenlee, Timothy B.

    1998-01-01

    Through a survey of business programs, a study examined the nature and extent of student recruiting activities and classified them according to a "brand elimination" model. Timing and methods of recruiting were then compared to reports of enrollment changes. Results suggest that targeted recruitment activities aimed at creating awareness…

  3. Internet College Recruiting and Marketing: Web Promotion, Techniques and Law.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mentz, George; Whiteside, Richard

    2003-01-01

    After using online recruiting techniques, researching Internet marketing, and consulting companies regarding search engine ranking, the authors made many observations about the evolution of the Internet as a tool for educating students and targeting enrollment for new admission. Article presents recommendations for using Internet to promote online…

  4. High School Profiles: Application of HTML for Recruitment Decision Making

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Iryna Y.

    2008-01-01

    Because high school graduates are many colleges' primary target population, information on high school students' performance and sociodemographic characteristics becomes important for the recruitment process. This article introduces an HTML application (referred to here as the High School Profile) that arranges high school information and makes…

  5. Perkins Core Performance Measures: Results and Targets, 1999-2000.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McHewitt, Earl R.; Taylor, Garry

    This document describes the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) Core Indicators for the Perkins III Core Performance Standards and Measures. Core indicators and measures include: (1) student attainment, measured by academic and technical skills; (2) completion, measured by graduation rate; (3) placement and persistence, measured by placement,…

  6. Development and Evaluation of a Measure of Fear of Commitment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Serling, Deborah A.; Betz, Nancy E.

    1990-01-01

    Examined utility of fear of commitment in understanding differences between career undecidedness versus more complicated and chronic career indecisiveness in three studies targeting undecided and decided college students (N=707). Found fear of commitment related to state and trait anxiety, self-esteem, and was significantly higher in undecided…

  7. Readers Response Approach to English Poetry Teaching.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lin, Antonia Hsiu-Chen; Sher, Teresa Hsiang-Jen

    This paper describes an elective course at Taiwan's Wen Tzao Ursuline College of Modern Languages, "Concise English Poetry Appreciation and Recitation." The course is based on the reader response approach and targets third year students, leading them into the world of poetry through various stages (traditional nursery rhymes and simple,…

  8. The Relationship between Playing Games and Metacognitive Awareness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moncarz, Howard T.

    2012-01-01

    This study investigated how playing different types of video games was associated with different values of metacognitive awareness. The target population was first and second-year college students. The study used a survey methodology that employed two self-reporting instruments: the first to estimate a metacognitive-awareness index (MAI), and the…

  9. Marketing Education Through Benefit Segmentation. AIR Forum 1981 Paper.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goodnow, Wilma Elizabeth

    The applicability of the "benefit segmentation" marketing technique to education was tested at the College of DuPage in 1979. Benefit segmentation identified target markets homogeneous in benefits expected from a program offering and may be useful in combatting declining enrollments. The 487 randomly selected students completed the 223…

  10. Preparing Students for Leadership in Tomorrow's Work.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brand, Betsy

    If educators, policymakers, and school administrators Employment Policy's current project on at-risk youth aged 9 to 15 school, graduate, and enjoy learning. Unfortunately, the current policy on education is targeted to young people who go on to college. Another fundamental problem with schools is that the school curriculum has become disconnected…

  11. Focus-on-form instructional methods promote deaf college students' improvement in English grammar.

    PubMed

    Berent, Gerald P; Kelly, Ronald R; Aldersley, Stephen; Schmitz, Kathryn L; Khalsa, Baldev Kaur; Panara, John; Keenan, Susan

    2007-01-01

    Focus-on-form English teaching methods are designed to facilitate second-language learners' noticing of target language input, where "noticing" is an acquisitional prerequisite for the comprehension, processing, and eventual integration of new grammatical knowledge. While primarily designed for teaching hearing second-language learners, many focus-on-form methods lend themselves to visual presentation. This article reports the results of classroom research on the visually based implementation of focus-on-form methods with deaf college students learning English. Two of 3 groups of deaf students received focus-on-form instruction during a 10-week remedial grammar course; a third control group received grammatical instruction that did not involve focus-on-form methods. The 2 experimental groups exhibited significantly greater improvement in English grammatical knowledge relative to the control group. These results validate the efficacy of visually based focus-on-form English instruction for deaf students of English and set the stage for the continual search for innovative and effective English teaching methodologies.

  12. [Influence of growing experience on non-heterosexual orientation among male college students in Nanjing].

    PubMed

    Li, X S; Fang, K; Zhang, M; Du, G P; Wu, S S; Song, Y; Xu, Y Y; Yan, W J; Ge, Y; Ji, Y; Wei, P M

    2017-07-06

    Objective: To analyze the influence of growing experience on non-heterosexual orientation among male college students. Methods: From October to November in 2015, a total of 2 535 male students from 96 classes in 14 colleges/departments were recruited from two colleges that participated in the experimental work of AIDS prevention by cluster random sampling method. A structured questionnaire was administered in this study, including general demographic information, growing experience and Kinsey scale (to evaluate sexual orientation). Out of 2 500 questionnaires distributed in this study, 2 332 effective copies were withdrew, with the effective rate at 93.3%. Chi square test was used to analyze the differences of non-heterosexual orientation among the individuals with different social demographic characteristics. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors of non-heterosexual orientation. Results: Among the 2 332 individuals, the proportion of self-reported non-heterosexual was 6.2% (144).The proportions of male students who identify as non-heterosexual from freshman to junior year were 5.2%(63/1216),6.9%(65/941),11.7%(13/111) and 4.7%(3/64), respectively (χ(2)=9.06, P= 0.029). Compared with the individuals of very good relationship with parents, those with bad relationship ( OR= 3.3, 95 %CI: 1.7-6.5) and general relationship ( OR= 1.7, 95 %CI: 1.0-2.9) with parents had a higher risk of non-heterosexual orientation, respectively. Those encountered sexual assault had a higher risk of non-heterosexual orientation than those without encountered sexual assault ( OR= 5.9, 95 %CI: 3.2-10.9). Conclusions: This study reported a high proportion of self-reported non-heterosexual among college male students in Nanjing, and highlighted the importance of targeting students with poor parental relationships and who subjected to sexually abused.

  13. The DSM-5 nonsuicidal self-injury disorder among incoming college students: Prevalence and associations with 12-month mental disorders and suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

    PubMed

    Kiekens, Glenn; Hasking, Penelope; Claes, Laurence; Mortier, Philippe; Auerbach, Randy P; Boyes, Mark; Cuijpers, Pim; Demyttenaere, Koen; Green, Jennifer G; Kessler, Ronald C; Nock, Matthew K; Bruffaerts, Ronny

    2018-04-26

    Approximately one in five college students report a history of nonsuicidal self-injury. However, it is unclear how many students meet criteria for the recently proposed DSM-5 nonsuicidal self-injury disorder (NSSI-D). In this study, we used full NSSI-D criteria to identify those students most in need of clinical care. Using data from the Leuven College Surveys (n = 4,565), we examined the 12-month prevalence of DSM-5 NSSI-D in a large and representative sample of incoming college students. We also explored the optimal frequency threshold as a function of interference in functioning due to NSSI, and examined comorbidity patterns with other 12-month mental disorders (i.e., major depressive disorder, broad mania, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and alcohol dependence) and suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB). Twelve-month NSSI-D prevalence was 0.8% and more common among females (1.1%) than males (0.4%). The proposed 5+ diagnostic threshold was confirmed as yielding highest discrimination between threshold and subthreshold cases in terms of distress or disability due to NSSI. A dose-response relationship was observed for NSSI recency-severity (i.e., 12-month NSSI-D, subthreshold 12-month NSSI-D, past NSSI, no history of NSSI) with number of 12-month mental disorders and STB. NSSI-D occurred without comorbid disorders for one in five individuals, and remained associated with severe role impairment when controlling for the number of comorbid disorders. These findings offer preliminary evidence that DSM-5 NSSI-D is uncommon among incoming college students, but may help to improve the deployment of targeted resource allocation to those most in need of services. More work examining the validity of NSSI-D is required. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Determining attitudinal and behavioral factors concerning milk and dairy intake and their association with calcium intake in college students.

    PubMed

    Rose, Angela M; Williams, Rachel A; Rengers, Brooke; Kennel, Julie A; Gunther, Carolyn

    2018-04-01

    Average intake of calcium among college students is below the recommended intake, and knowledge surrounding the attitudinal and behavioral factors that influence milk and dairy intake, a primary food source of calcium, is limited. The purpose of this study was to evaluate college students' attitudes and behaviors concerning milk and dairy consumption and their association with calcium intake. Participants were 1,730 undergraduate students who completed an online survey (SurveyMonkey) as part of baseline data collection for a social marketing dairy campaign. The online survey assessed attitudes and behaviors concerning milk and dairy intake, and calcium intake. Questions about milk- and dairy-related attitudes and behaviors were grouped into 14 factors using factor analysis. Predictors of calcium intake were then evaluated. Median calcium intake across all participants was 928.6 mg/day, with males consuming higher calcium intakes than females ( P < 0.001). Adjusted for gender, calcium intakes were most strongly (and positively) correlated with associating milk with specific eating occasions and availability (i.e., storing calcium-rich foods in one's dorm or apartment) (both P < 0.001). Other correlates of calcium intake included: positive-viewing milk as healthy ( P = 0.039), having family members who drink milk) ( P = 0.039), and taking calcium supplements ( P = 0.056); and negative-parent rules concerning milk ( P = 0.031) and viewing milk in dining halls negatively ( P = 0.05). Calcium intakes among college students enrolled in the current study was below the recommended dietary allowance of 1,000 mg/day, reinforcing the need for dietary interventions in this target population, especially females. Practitioners and researchers should consider the factors found here to impact calcium intake, particularly associating milk with specific eating occasions (e.g., milk with breakfast) and having calcium-rich foods available in the dorm room or apartment, as intervention strategies in future efforts aimed at promoting milk and dairy foods and beverages for improved calcium intake in college students.

  15. Brief online interventions targeting risk and protective factors for increased and problematic alcohol use among American college students studying abroad

    PubMed Central

    Pedersen, Eric R.; Neighbors, Clayton; Atkins, David C.; Lee, Christine M.; Larimer, Mary E.

    2016-01-01

    Research documents increased and problematic alcohol use during study abroad experiences for college students yet no research documents effective preventive programs with these students. The present randomized controlled trial was designed to prevent increased and problematic alcohol use abroad by correcting misperceptions of peer drinking norms abroad and by promoting positive and healthy adjustment into the host culture (i.e., sojourner adjustment) through brief online personalized feedback interventions. A sample of 343 study abroad college students was randomly assigned to one of four conditions including a personalized normative feedback intervention (PNF), a sojourner adjustment feedback intervention (SAF), a combined PNF + SAF intervention, and an assessment-only control condition. Generalized estimated equation analyses accounting for baseline drinking and consequences revealed an intervention effect for PNF that was mitigated by baseline drinking level, such that PNF was best for those with lighter baseline drinking, but heavier baseline drinkers receiving PNF alone or PNF + SAF drank comparatively similar or more heavily abroad to those in the control condition. However, PNF + SAF condition participants with greater baseline levels of consequences reported comparatively less consequences abroad than their control participants. Thus, PNF alone may be helpful for lighter drinkers at predeparture and the addition of SAF to PNF may help prevent consequences abroad for those reporting more consequences prior to departure abroad. This research represents an important first step in designing and implementing efficacious interventions with at-risk study abroad college students, for which no current empirically-based programs exist. PMID:28080092

  16. Brief online interventions targeting risk and protective factors for increased and problematic alcohol use among American college students studying abroad.

    PubMed

    Pedersen, Eric R; Neighbors, Clayton; Atkins, David C; Lee, Christine M; Larimer, Mary E

    2017-03-01

    Research documents increased and problematic alcohol use during study abroad experiences for college students yet no research documents effective preventive programs with these students. The present randomized controlled trial was designed to prevent increased and problematic alcohol use abroad by correcting misperceptions of peer drinking norms abroad and by promoting positive and healthy adjustment into the host culture (i.e., sojourner adjustment) through brief online personalized feedback interventions. A sample of 343 study abroad college students was randomly assigned to 1 of 4 conditions including a personalized normative feedback intervention (PNF), a sojourner adjustment feedback intervention (SAF), a combined PNF + SAF intervention, and an assessment-only control condition. Generalized estimated equation analyses accounting for baseline drinking and consequences revealed an intervention effect for PNF that was mitigated by baseline drinking level, such that PNF was best for those with lighter baseline drinking, but heavier baseline drinkers receiving PNF alone or PNF + SAF drank comparatively similar or more heavily abroad to those in the control condition. However, PNF + SAF condition participants with greater baseline levels of consequences reported comparatively less consequences abroad than their control participants. Thus, PNF alone may be helpful for lighter drinkers at predeparture and the addition of SAF to PNF may help prevent consequences abroad for those reporting more consequences prior to departure abroad. This research represents an important first step in designing and implementing efficacious interventions with at-risk study abroad college students, for which no current empirically based programs exist. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  17. College Student Internet Use: Convenience and Amusement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Genevieve M.

    2007-01-01

    Four hundred five college students completed a questionnaire that assessed patterns of Internet use. Results describe college students, with rare exception, as Internet users. The vast majority of college students frequently communicate online and access websites. While an Internet game experience is typical, relatively few college students are…

  18. Becoming a College Student: An Empirical Phenomenological Analysis of First Generation College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whitehead, Patrick M.; Wright, Robert

    2017-01-01

    This article is an empirical phenomenological examination of the perceived security that first generation college students have in their identity as college students. First generation college students (FGCS) have been defined as students whose parents or guardians have not completed a 2- or 4-year postsecondary degree. Previous research (Davis,…

  19. An Investigation of One Aspect of College Unrest: College Student Satisfaction. The Measurement and Analysis of College Student Satisfaction.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Betz, Ellen L.; And Others

    Although infrequently investigated, college student satisfaction and dissatisfaction are viewed as a clear indicator of student unrest. Results of a series of studies aimed at a systematic investigation of college student satisfaction are described. A measure was designed and used to investigate the relationships between student satisfaction and…

  20. Report on Student Work Programs Leadership Conference at Berry College (Mount Berry, Georgia, October 4-5, 1982).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rock, Maxine

    A conference was held for college presidents, student work supervisors, and students who are involved in student-work programs. Attending the conference were representatives of the following colleges: Alice Lloyd College, Pippa Passes, Kentucky; Berea College, Berea, Kentucky; Berry College, Mount Berry, Georgia; Bethune-Cookman College, Daytona…

  1. Using the Ecological Model to understand influences on college student vaping.

    PubMed

    Cheney, Marshall K; Gowin, Mary; Clawson, Ashley H

    2018-02-16

    Objective The Ecological Model was used to examine the social and environmental influences of the college environment on e-cigarette use (vaping) among college students. Undergraduate college student e-cigarette users (vapers) across three large college campuses in the southwest US from Jan 2015- Aug 2016. Thirty-three interviews were conducted. Transcribed interviews were coded then analyzed for themes. College student vapers report multiple levels of influence on their vaping beyond personal beliefs and peer influences, including parents, explicit campus and community messaging, community member requests, and respect for others. College student vapers also describe constant associations with smokers in allowable public places to vape. Parents, community members, campus policy, and the physical environment all influence where and when college students vape. Health communication messages to prevent college student vaping should incorporate alternative messages that are important to college students, such as respect for others and social image.

  2. Gender-atypical personality or sexual behavior: What is disgusting about male homosexuality?

    PubMed

    Caswell, T Andrew; Sackett-Fox, Kyrsten

    2018-01-15

    Research consistently finds that homosexuality elicits strong feelings of disgust, but the reasons remain unclear. In the current research, we investigate responses to gay men who violate social norms governing the expression of gender and sexuality. Two hundred forty-three college undergraduates read a vignette about a gay male college student whose personality traits (masculine, feminine, or neutral) and sexual behavior (active vs. passive) varied and reported their affective responses to and cognitive appraisals of the target. The gay target who displayed a feminine personality elicited more disgust and was perceived as lower in gender role conformity than a gay man who displayed a masculine personality. Similarly, the gay target who assumed a passive sex role elicited more disgust and was perceived as lower in gender role conformity than a gay man who assumed an active sex role. The sexual behavior/disgust relationship was mediated by perceived gender role conformity.

  3. College Students' Affective Distress: The Role of Expectation Discrepancies and Communication

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Agliata, Allison Kanter; Renk, Kimberly

    2009-01-01

    The discrepancy between college students' performance and parents' expectations may be related to college students' affective distress. Further, the role that parent-college student communication reciprocity may play in the context of these discrepancies has not been examined. As a result, this study examined parent-college student expectation…

  4. College Student Suicide

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taub, Deborah J.; Thompson, Jalonda

    2013-01-01

    Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among college students, and it is estimated that 1,088 college students die by suicide each year (National Mental Health Association and the Jed Foundation, 2002). This chapter presents the context of college student mental health within which the problem of college student suicide is situated. Because…

  5. Dating Violence among College Students: Key Issues for College Counselors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murray, Christine E.; Kardatzke, Kerrie N.

    2007-01-01

    The authors present a review of literature examining dating violence among college students. They describe 6 key issues related to dating violence among college students that affect college counselors' work. These key issues relate to the incidence and prevalence of physical, sexual, and psychological violence in college students' dating…

  6. Model Minority Stereotype: Influence on Perceived Mental Health Needs of Asian Americans.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Alice W; Chang, Janet; O'Brien, Janine; Budgazad, Marc S; Tsai, Jack

    2017-06-01

    This study examined the influence of the model minority stereotype on the perceived mental health functioning of Asian Americans. It was hypothesized that college students would perceive Asian Americans as having fewer mental health problems and clinical symptoms than Whites due to the model minority stereotype. Four hundred and twenty-five undergraduate students from a predominately White college campus in the American northeast were randomly exposed to one of four conditions: (1) a clinical vignette describing a White college student suffering from adjustment disorder; (2) the same vignette describing an Asian American college student; (3) a newspaper article describing a success story of Whites and the White clinical vignette; (4) the same newspaper article and clinical vignette describing an Asian American. Following exposure to one of the conditions, participants completed a memory recall task and measures of colorblindness, attitudes towards Asian Americans, attitudes towards out-group members, and perceived mental health functioning. Participants exposed to the vignettes primed with the positive/model minority stereotype perceived the target regardless of race/ethnicity as having better mental health functioning and less clinical symptoms than the condition without the stereotype. Additionally, the stereotype primer was found to be a modest predictor for the perception of mental health functioning in Asian American vignettes. Results shed light on the impact of the model minority stereotype on the misperception of Asian Americans' mental health status, contributing to the invisibility or neglect of this minority group's mental health needs.

  7. Association of stress coping strategies with Internet addiction in college students: The moderating effect of depression.

    PubMed

    Chou, Wei-Po; Ko, Chih-Hung; Kaufman, Erin A; Crowell, Sheila E; Hsiao, Ray C; Wang, Peng-Wei; Lin, Jin-Jia; Yen, Cheng-Fang

    2015-10-01

    This study examined the association between stress-related coping strategies and Internet addiction and the moderating effect of depression in a sample of Taiwanese college students. A total of 500 college students (238 men and 262 women) participated in this study. Internet addiction was assessed using the Chen Internet Addiction Scale. Participants' stress coping strategies and depressive symptoms were measured using the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced and the Beck Depression Inventory-II, respectively. We used t and chi-square tests to examine differences in demographic characteristics, depression, and stress coping strategies between participants with and without Internet addiction. Significant variables were used in a logistic regression model to examine the association between stress coping strategies and Internet addiction and the moderating effect of depression on the association. Results indicated that use of restraint coping was negatively associated with Internet addiction (odds ratio [OR]=0.886, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.802-0.977), whereas denial (OR=1.177, 95% CI: 1.029-1.346) and mental disengagement (OR=2.673, 95% CI: 1.499-4.767) were positively associated with Internet addiction. Depression had a moderating effect on the association between denial and Internet addiction (OR=0.701, 95% CI: 0.530-0.927). Stress coping strategies and depression are important factors to evaluate when developing intervention programs targeting college undergraduate students with Internet addiction. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. The Influence of Psychological Symptoms on Mental Health Literacy of College Students

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Jin E.; Saw, Anne; Zane, Nolan

    2015-01-01

    Psychological problems, such as depression and anxiety, are common among college students, but few receive treatment for it. Mental health literacy may partially account for low rates of mental health treatment utilization. We report two studies that investigated mental health literacy among individuals with varying degrees of psychological symptoms, using cross-sectional online survey methodology. Study 1 involved 332 college students, of which 32% were categorized as high depressed using an established measure of depression, and mental health literacy for depression was assessed using a vignette. Logistic regression results showed that high depressed individuals were less likely to recognize depression compared to low depressed individuals, and depression recognition was associated with recommendations to seek help. Study 2 replicated and extended findings of Study 1 using a separate sample of 1,321 college students with varying degrees of psychological distress (32% no/mild distress, 55% moderate distress, and 13% serious distress) and examining mental health literacy for anxiety in addition to depression. Results indicated that compared to those with no/mild distress, those with moderate distress had lower recognition of depression, and those with moderate and serious distress were less likely to recommend help-seeking. In contrast, there were no differences in mental health literacy for anxiety, which was low across all participants. These findings suggest that psychological symptoms can impact certain aspects of mental health literacy, and these results have implications for targeting mental health literacy to increase mental health services utilization among individuals in need of help. PMID:26052815

  9. Nursing students' critical thinking disposition according to academic level and satisfaction with nursing.

    PubMed

    Kim, Dong Hee; Moon, Seongmi; Kim, Eun Jung; Kim, Young-Ju; Lee, Sunhee

    2014-01-01

    The development of critical thinking dispositions has become an important issue in nursing education in Korea. Nursing colleges in Korea have developed teaching strategies and curricula that focus on developing critical thinking dispositions. It is an imperative step that evaluates the changing pattern and development of students' critical thinking dispositions. This study identified critical thinking dispositions of Korean nursing students according to academic level and satisfaction with nursing. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among 1074 students in four colleges who completed the self-reported Critical Thinking Disposition Scale. Descriptive and univariate general linear model analyses were performed. The critical thinking disposition score increased according to academic level until junior year, after which it decreased in the senior year. Nursing students who were satisfied with nursing reported higher levels of critical thinking than those who were not satisfied or who responded neutrally. The critical thinking scores of nursing students not satisfied with nursing dropped greatly in the senior year. These results suggest the importance of targeting the development of curriculum and teaching methods for seniors and students who have a lower level of satisfaction with nursing to increase their critical thinking dispositions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. College Student Environmental Activism: How Experiences and Identities Influence Environmental Activism Approaches

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    King, Laura A. H.

    2016-01-01

    College student environmental activism is one way students civically engage in addressing social issues. This study explores the environmental activism of twelve college students and how their experiences outside of college and in college influenced their activism. In addition, how students' identities influenced their approach to activism was…

  11. Suicidal Behavior among Latina College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chesin, Megan S.; Jeglic, Elizabeth L.

    2012-01-01

    Latina college students are one of the fastest-growing segments of the college student population. Although there is evidence suggesting Latina high school students are at increased risk of engaging in suicidal behavior, it is unclear Bwhether this risk continues in college. Over the course of 3 years, 554 Latina college students, the majority of…

  12. Targeted Calorie Message Promotes Healthy Beverage Consumption Better than Charity Incentive.

    PubMed

    Policastro, Peggy; Palm, Taylor; Schwartz, Janet; Chapman, Gretchen

    2017-08-01

    Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption is cited as a major contributor to the U.S. obesity epidemic. The objective of this paper was to leverage insights from behavioral economics to examine whether nudges would entice college students to save meal calories by choosing water over SSBs. Three message-based nudge interventions, with washout periods between, were used during the 7-week study. Calorie savings (self-interest), charity (prosocial), or charity-plus-calorie message posters were displayed in a college-based food franchise. Multilevel logistic regressions compared the proportions of students choosing water during three experimental conditions. This study assessed whether the frequency of dining establishment visits over the study period moderated effects of the experimental conditions on beverage choices. Multiple data points from the same customer were treated as repeated measures. A total of 2,393 unique students purchased 6,730 meals. Posters displaying calorie information increased water choice relative to washout periods, while the poster without calorie information (charity only) had no effect. Controlling for fixed effects produced the same results. The calorie message poster influenced less frequent diners more than frequent diners. Food-service operations can nudge college students to substitute water for SSBs with a simple calorie-based message to save hundreds of calories per meal. © 2017 The Obesity Society.

  13. Common ground: an investigation of environmental management alcohol prevention initiatives in a college community.

    PubMed

    Wood, Mark D; Dejong, William; Fairlie, Anne M; Lawson, Doreen; Lavigne, Andrea M; Cohen, Fran

    2009-07-01

    This article presents an evaluation of Common Ground, a media campaign-supported prevention program featuring increased enforcement, decreased alcohol access, and other environmental management initiatives targeting college student drinking. Phase 1 of the media campaign addressed student resistance to environmentally focused prevention by reporting majority student support for alcohol policy and enforcement initiatives. Phase 2 informed students about state laws, university policies, and environmental initiatives. We conducted student telephone surveys, with samples stratified by gender and year in school, for 4 consecutive years at the intervention campus and 3 years at a comparison campus. We did a series of one-way between-subjects analyses of variance and analyses of covariance, followed by tests of linear trend and planned comparisons. Targeted outcomes included perceptions of enforcement and alcohol availability, alcohol use, and alcohol-impaired driving. We examined archived police reports for student incidents, primarily those resulting from loud parties. There were increases at the intervention campus in students' awareness of formal alcohol-control efforts and perceptions of the alcohol environment, likelihood of apprehension for underage drinking, consequences for alcohol-impaired driving, and responsible alcohol service practices. There were decreases in the perceived likelihood of other students' negative behavior at off-campus parties. Police-reported incidents decreased over time; however, perceived consequences for off-campus parties decreased. No changes were observed for difficulty finding an off-campus party, self-reported alcohol use, or alcohol-impaired driving. The intervention successfully altered perceptions of alcohol enforcement, alcohol access, and the local alcohol environment. This study provides important preliminary information to researchers and practitioners engaged in collaborative prevention efforts in campus communities.

  14. Common Ground: An Investigation of Environmental Management Alcohol Prevention Initiatives in a College Community*

    PubMed Central

    Wood, Mark D.; DeJong, William; Fairlie, Anne M.; Lawson, Doreen; Lavigne, Andrea M.; Cohen, Fran

    2009-01-01

    Objective: This article presents an evaluation of Common Ground, a media campaign-supported prevention program featuring increased enforcement, decreased alcohol access, and other environmental management initiatives targeting college student drinking. Method: Phase 1 of the media campaign addressed student resistance to environmentally focused prevention by reporting majority student support for alcohol policy and enforcement initiatives. Phase 2 informed students about state laws, university policies, and environmental initiatives. We conducted student telephone surveys, with samples stratified by gender and year in school, for 4 consecutive years at the intervention campus and 3 years at a comparison campus. We did a series of one-way between-subjects analyses of variance and analyses of covariance, followed by tests of linear trend and planned comparisons. Targeted outcomes included perceptions of enforcement and alcohol availability, alcohol use, and alcohol-impaired driving. We examined archived police reports for student incidents, primarily those resulting from loud parties. Results: There were increases at the intervention campus in students' awareness of formal alcohol-control efforts and perceptions of the alcohol environment, likelihood of apprehension for underage drinking, consequences for alcohol-impaired driving, and responsible alcohol service practices. There were decreases in the perceived likelihood of other students' negative behavior at off-campus parties. Police-reported incidents decreased over time; however, perceived consequences for off-campus parties decreased. No changes were observed for difficulty finding an off-campus party, self-reported alcohol use, or alcohol-impaired driving. Conclusions: The intervention successfully altered perceptions of alcohol enforcement, alcohol access, and the local alcohol environment. This study provides important preliminary information to researchers and practitioners engaged in collaborative prevention efforts in campus communities. PMID:19538917

  15. Disability and autonomy: priming alternative identities.

    PubMed

    Wang, Katie; Dovidio, John F

    2011-05-01

    Despite the broad stigmatization that people with disabilities experience, the ways they respond as targets of prejudice have received little attention in the psychological literature. The present study examined the reactions of college students with disabilities to being primed with different aspects of their identity and how individual differences in stigma consciousness moderate this effect. After being primed with their identity as a person with a disability or a student, college students with disabilities (n = 116) completed measures of autonomy-related thoughts, help-seeking, and stigma consciousness. Students primed with their disability status activated autonomy-related thoughts less than the participants primed with their student identity. Moreover, as predicted, the priming manipulation had a stronger impact for participants higher in stigma consciousness. Across all participants, greater activation of autonomy-related thoughts was associated with a lower likelihood of seeking help. Depending on the aspect of their identity that is most salient in a given context and their level of stigma consciousness, people with disabilities can access autonomy-related thoughts to a greater or lesser extent. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

  16. Navigating the transition to college: First-generation undergraduates negotiate identities and search for success in STEM and non-STEM fields

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mussey, Season Shelly

    2009-12-01

    Historically, racial and ethnic minority students from low income backgrounds have faced unequal access to colleges and universities. Recently, both K-12 and higher education institutions, specifically the University of California, in response to Proposition 209, have made efforts to increase access and opportunities for all students. Similarly, female minority students are underrepresented in selected science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) majors and careers. Using a qualitative research design, this study investigates how first generation, low income, underrepresented minority students who graduated from an innovative college preparatory high school enact coping strategies that they were explicitly taught to achieve success within the context of university science and math courses. The presence of a unique, college-prep high school on the campus of UC San Diego, which accepts exclusively low-income students through a randomized lottery system, creates an unusual opportunity to study the transition from high school to college for this population, a cohort of underrepresented students who were taught similar academic coping strategies for success in college. This study aims to understand how students develop their college-going, academic identities within the context of their colleges and universities. Furthermore, this study intends to understand the phenomenon of "transition to college" as a lived experience of first-generation, low income, minority students, who all share a similar college preparatory, high school background. The main research questions are: (1) How do underrepresented students experience the transition from a college preparatory high school to college? (2) How are students developing their college-going, academic identities in the context of their educational institutions? and (3) What factors support or constrain student participation and success in college science courses? Twenty-eight students participated in this study. Based on surveys and individual interviews with the participants, twenty student narratives were written and analyzed. The students' narratives provide a picture of how these underrepresented students are experiencing the transition to college. In this sample, five factors impact the students' college-going academic identity development, major choice, and career path: (1) college preparation in high school, (2) self-efficacy, (3) success in college academics, (4) affinity group participation, and (5) interaction with college faculty.

  17. Celebrating the International Year of Light in Michigan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sala, Anca L.; Dreyer, Elizabeth F. C.; Aku-Leh, Cynthia; Jones, Timothy; Nees, John A.; Smith, Arlene

    2016-09-01

    The 2015 International Year of Light created a wonderful opportunity to bring light and optics events and activities to people of all ages and occupations in Michigan. A large spectrum of events took place; from events held in schools, colleges, and universities targeting various groups of students, to events associated with festivals attended by large crowds. The latter included the Ann Arbor Summer Festival held in June and the Flint Back-to-the-Bricks Festival in August. All events included interactive activities where participants learned hands-on about optics and photonics phenomena and applications. Original demonstrations and kits were developed by the Ann Arbor OSA Local Section and the Optics Society at the University of Michigan, the joint OSA/SPIE student chapter, for use during the events. The activities were funded through the student chapter's SPIE grant for IYL outreach events and corporate sponsorships. Under the name Michigan Light Project, these groups along with local technology enthusiasts and science clubs delivered several events across Michigan. Other events took place throughout the year in Mid-Michigan through the efforts of faculty and students in the Photonics and Laser Technology program at Baker College of Flint. The outreach events targeted students in K-12. Teachers, counselors, and parents also learned about the importance of optics and photonics in society. The activities developed will continue this year and in the future. The paper will provide details on the completed events and activities along with tips for implementing similar activities and outreach partnerships in other areas.

  18. Awareness and Knowledge Levels of Turkish College Students about Human Papilloma Virus Infection and Vaccine Acceptance.

    PubMed

    Oz, Murat; Cetinkaya, Nilufer; Apaydin, Aysen; Korkmaz, Elmas; Bas, Sevda; Ozgu, Emre; Gungor, Tayfun

    2018-04-01

    Awareness of HPV by the target population is an important determinant of vaccine acceptance. The aim of this study is to evaluate the awareness of HPV infection and acceptability of the HPV vaccines among Turkish college students. College students aged 18-30 who were attending a large public university in Ankara participated in this study. The participants were asked to complete a questionnaire to elicit demographic characteristics, awareness level of HPV and HPV vaccine, and willingness to be vaccinated. One thousand one hundred sixty students responded to the invitation email and completed the questionnaire. The mean scores of female students about HPV and HPV vaccine were 7.1/15 and 3.6/9, respectively, while these scores were 7.9/15 and 3.4/9 among male students, respectively. While 51 % percent of female and 33.5 % of male students had heard of HPV and 32.8 % and 18 % of them had heard of HPV vaccine, respectively, only 1.5 % of female and 0.4 % of male students had been vaccinated against HPV. A total of 507 students (43.7 %) had previously heard of HPV. Only 309 (26.6 %) of the participants had previously heard of the HPV vaccine, and 45.1 % of the students were willing to receive HPV vaccination. The main predictors for willingness to be vaccinated were the following: sexual experience, sexual behavior, past history of sexually transmitted infection (STI), and knowledge about HPV and HPV vaccine. Higher awareness levels of HPV and HPV vaccine are significantly related to greater willingness to be vaccinated, and the main reasons for rejecting the vaccine were insufficient information about the vaccine and possible unknown side effects.

  19. A Comparative Analysis of Factors Influencing Students' College Choice between Attending Public Colleges, Private Colleges, or Religiously Affiliated Colleges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Easter, Anthony J.

    2012-01-01

    College choice is a highly relevant area for the field of higher education. Much research has been done to determine if a student will attend college or not, but there is limited research related to what type of college a student will choose. The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze the factors that influence college students'…

  20. Engaging college physics students with photonics research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adams, Rhys; Chen, Lawrence R.

    2017-08-01

    As educators and researchers in the field of photonics, we find what we do to be very exciting, and sharing this passion and excitement to our university students is natural to us. Via outreach programs and college research funding, a new college and university collaboration has broadened our student audience: photonics is brought into the college classroom and research opportunities are provided to college students. Photonics-themed active learning activities are conducted in the college Waves and Modern Physics class, helping students forge relationships between course content and modern communications technologies. Presentations on photonics research are prepared and presented by the professor and past college student-researchers. The students are then given a full tour of the photonics university laboratories. Furthermore, funds are set aside to give college students a unique opportunity to assist the college professor with experiments during a paid summer research internship.

  1. College Student Success Course Takers' Perceptions of College Student Effectiveness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hoops, Leah D.; Artrip, Ashley

    2016-01-01

    College student success courses are designed to help students develop effective self-regulating learning (SRL) skills. Little research has examined students' perceptions of SRL at course end. The purpose of this study was to examine student perceptions of "what makes an effective college student" in regards to SRL after course…

  2. "This is not a drill": Activation of a student-led influenza vaccination point of dispensing.

    PubMed

    Adams, Lavonne M; Canclini, Sharon; Tillman, Kelle

    2018-04-13

    To describe activation of a Point of dispensing (POD) in response to an influenza outbreak, highlighting the use of a student-led model. Faculty, staff, and students of Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Texas Christian University (TCU), as well as those located in its primary building. In response to an August 2017 influenza outbreak, a vaccination clinic was conducted for a target population through POD activation. The larger campus community was served through provision of additional doses by the Texas Christian University Health Center and the annual October student-led vaccination clinic. Eleven additional cases were diagnosed after vaccinations began. One hundred percent of the targeted population was vaccinated (n = 824), with an additional 127 participants vaccinated (others working in the building where POD held also vaccinated). This was the first time POD activation had occurred on campus in response to an outbreak.

  3. College Student Press Law. Second Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Trager, Robert; Dickerson, Donna L.

    This second edition of a monograph provides updated information on court decisions concerning college student publications and underground newspapers to acquaint advisers, administrators, and students with college student press law. Chapters of the monograph examine freedom of speech on the college campus; the relationship between colleges and…

  4. 12 CFR 226.57 - Reporting and marketing rules for college student open-end credit.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... to Credit Card Accounts and Open-End Credit Offered to College Students § 226.57 Reporting and marketing rules for college student open-end credit. (a) Definitions: (1) College student credit card. The term “college student credit card” as used in this section means a credit card issued under a credit...

  5. 12 CFR 226.57 - Reporting and marketing rules for college student open-end credit.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... Applicable to Credit Card Accounts and Open-End Credit Offered to College Students § 226.57 Reporting and marketing rules for college student open-end credit. (a) Definitions: (1) College student credit card. The term “college student credit card” as used in this section means a credit card issued under a credit...

  6. 12 CFR 226.57 - Reporting and marketing rules for college student open-end credit.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... to Credit Card Accounts and Open-End Credit Offered to College Students § 226.57 Reporting and marketing rules for college student open-end credit. (a) Definitions: (1) College student credit card. The term “college student credit card” as used in this section means a credit card issued under a credit...

  7. 12 CFR 226.57 - Reporting and marketing rules for college student open-end credit.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... Applicable to Credit Card Accounts and Open-End Credit Offered to College Students § 226.57 Reporting and marketing rules for college student open-end credit. (a) Definitions: (1) College student credit card. The term “college student credit card” as used in this section means a credit card issued under a credit...

  8. The Academic Consequences of Employment for Students Enrolled in Community College. CCRC Working Paper No. 46

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dadgar, Mina

    2012-01-01

    College students are increasingly combining studying with paid employment, and community college students tend to work even longer hours compared with students at four-year colleges. Yet, there is little evidence on the academic consequences of community college students' term-time employment. Using a rare administrative dataset from Washington…

  9. Eating disorder symptoms among undergraduate and graduate students at 12 U.S. colleges and universities.

    PubMed

    Lipson, S K; Sonneville, K R

    2017-01-01

    We sought to estimate the prevalence of eating disorder symptoms in a large sample of U.S. college students and variations therein across student characteristics. Participants were 9713 students from 12 colleges and universities participating in the Healthy Bodies Study. We used gender-stratified logistic regression to estimate bivariate correlates of elevated eating disorder symptoms, past-month objective binge eating, and past-month compensatory behaviors across student characteristics including age, degree-level, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, first-generation status, citizenship, academic and extracurricular characteristics, and weight status. Eating disorder outcomes were based on the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire. We observed higher prevalence of objective binge eating among females relative to males (49% versus 30%, p<0.001), but similar prevalence of compensatory behaviors (31% versus 29%). Weight status was the most consistent predictor of eating disorder risk with significantly more symptoms seen among individuals with overweight and obesity. When compared to individuals with a healthy weight, those with overweight had greater eating disorder risk (males OR=3.5; females OR=2.0), binge eating (males OR=2.1; females OR=1.9), and use of compensatory behaviors (males OR=1.5; females OR=1.3). This study suggests smaller gender difference in prevalence of eating disorder symptoms than previously reported and identifies students with overweight/obesity as salient targets for campus-based eating disorder screening and early intervention efforts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Early College Puts Youth on a College Track

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edmunds, Julie A.

    2016-01-01

    Early colleges are intended to serve students from populations typically underrepresented in college and to prepare those students with the academic skills and dispositions to succeed in college. Another important attribute of early colleges is that they help students earn college credit during their high school years. Many such early colleges are…

  11. The Role of Pets in the Lives of College Students: Implications for College Counselors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adams, Aimee C.; Sharkin, Bruce S.; Bottinelli, Jennifer J.

    2017-01-01

    The roles that pets play in the lives of college students have received little attention in the college counseling literature. This article will review four topics related to college students and pets that have implications for counselors: (a) the separation anxiety that students experience from not having their pets at college, (b) the…

  12. Depressive Symptoms among College Students: An Assessment of the Influence of Environmental Factors on Retention Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mudric, Mary Beth

    2012-01-01

    Depressive symptoms among college students have major implications for higher education institutions across the country. First-year college students are particularly susceptible to the various impacts that the college experience may produce during the transitional first year of college. The effects of depressive symptoms among college students in…

  13. Perceived parental psychological control, familism values, and Mexican American college students' adjustment.

    PubMed

    Kline, Gabrielle C; Killoren, Sarah E; Alfaro, Edna C

    2016-10-01

    Drawing from cultural ecological and risk and resilience perspectives, we investigated associations among Mexican American college students' perceptions of mothers' and fathers' psychological control and familism values, and college students' adjustment (i.e., depressive symptoms and self-esteem). Additionally, we examined how familism values moderated the relations between perceived psychological control and college students' adjustment. Participants were 186 Mexican American college students (78.5% women; Mage = 21.56 years), and data were collected using self-report online surveys. Using path analyses, we found that perceived maternal psychological control was positively associated and familism values were negatively associated with college students' depressive symptoms. Additionally, perceived paternal psychological control was negatively associated with college students' self-esteem when college students reported low, but not high, familism values. Findings highlight the importance of family relationships for Mexican American college students and the significance of examining these relationships within this cultural context. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  14. Chinese college freshmen's mental health problems and their subsequent help-seeking behaviors: A cohort design (2005-2011).

    PubMed

    Liu, Fenge; Zhou, Nan; Cao, Hongjian; Fang, Xiaoyi; Deng, Linyuan; Chen, Wenrui; Lin, Xiuyun; Liu, Lu; Zhao, Huichun

    2017-01-01

    Based on cohort data obtained from 13,085 college freshmen's (2005 to 2011) SCL-90 (the Symptom Check-List-90) reports and their subsequent 4-year psychological counseling help-seeking records, this study examined the association between college students' mental health problems and help-seeking behaviors across four college years. Female students' mental health problems and help-seeking behaviors increased from the 2005 to the 2011 cohorts and no changes emerged for male students across cohorts. Overall, male students reported higher levels of mental health problems than did female students in the first college year, whereas female students reported more help-seeking behaviors than did male students in the following four college years. College students' mental health problems was associated positively with help-seeking behaviors. College students were more likely to seek help from the college psychological counselling center when they experienced relatively few or quite a lot of mental health issues (i.e., an inversed U shape). Implications for future studies and practices are discussed.

  15. Don't Say That to ME: Opposition to Targeting in Weight-Centric Intervention Messages.

    PubMed

    Robinson, Becky; Coveleski, Samantha

    2018-02-01

    Obesity is a global health issue. Despite well-intentioned efforts by public institutions, traditional health promotion techniques often lead to offending those most in need of weight loss. For example, when Bryn Mawr College targeted overweight students to offer a free fitness and nutrition program, it was met with accusations of fat-shaming, indicating that weight-centric messages operate in a more complex sociocultural system than many public health concerns. To better understand reactions to weight-centric health messages, college-aged women evaluated the Bryn Mawr College e-mail. Using an embedded mixed-methods design, analysis revealed that reactions followed four positive themes, six negative themes, and one neutral theme. Statistical tests indicated that health literacy, feminist identification, body dissatisfaction, and body size discrepancy influenced evaluations of message offensiveness and effectiveness. Contrary to the recommendations of traditional behavior change research, these results indicate that audience segmentation and message tailoring may not be effective for promoting weight loss.

  16. Condom Use With a Casual Partner: What Distinguishes College Students' Use When Intoxicated?

    PubMed Central

    Abbey, Antonia; Parkhill, Michele R.; Buck, Philip O.; Saenz, Christopher

    2015-01-01

    Determining alcohol's precise role in sexual risk taking has proven to be an elusive goal. Past research has produced mixed results, depending on characteristics of individuals, their partners, and the situation, as well as how the link between alcohol consumption and sexual behavior was assessed. In this study, cross-sectional predictors of the frequency of condom use were examined for 298 heterosexual college students at a large urban university. In hierarchical multiple regression analyses that controlled for frequency of condom use when sober, alcohol expectancies regarding sexual risk taking and self-efficacy regarding condom use when intoxicated were significant predictors of frequency of condom use when intoxicated. These findings highlight the importance of targeting beliefs about alcohol's disinhibiting effects in STD- and HIV-prevention programs. PMID:17385957

  17. Alcohol Use Disorders and the Use of Treatment Services Among College-Age Young Adults

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Li-Tzy; Pilowsky, Daniel J.; Schlenger, William E.; Hasin, Deborah

    2007-01-01

    Objectives This study examined the utilization of and the perceived need for alcohol treatment services among college-age young adults (18–22 years) according to their educational status: full-time college students, part-time college students, noncollege students (currently in school with the highest grade level below college), and nonstudents (N=11,337). This breakdown of young adults had not been addressed previously. Methods Secondary analyses were conducted on data from the 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Results Full-time college students (21%) were as likely to have an alcohol use disorder as nonstudents (19%), but were more likely than part-time college students (15%) and noncollege students (12%). Only 4% of full-time college students with an alcohol use disorder received any alcohol services in the past year. Of those with an alcohol use disorder who did not receive treatment services, only 2% of full-time college students, close to 1% of part-time college students, and approximately 3% of young adults who were not in college reported a perceived need for alcohol treatment. Full-time college students were less likely than noncollege students to receive treatment for alcohol use disorders. All young adults with an alcohol use disorder were very unlikely to perceive a need for alcohol treatment or counseling. Conclusions College-age adults have a high prevalence of alcohol use disorders, yet they are very unlikely to receive alcohol treatment or early intervention services or to perceive a need for such services. Underutilization of alcohol-related services among college-age young adults deserves greater research attention. PMID:17287375

  18. Alcohol use disorders and the use of treatment services among college-age young adults.

    PubMed

    Wu, Li-Tzy; Pilowsky, Daniel J; Schlenger, William E; Hasin, Deborah

    2007-02-01

    This study examined the utilization of and the perceived need for alcohol treatment services among college-age young adults (18-22 years) according to their educational status: full-time college students, part-time college students, noncollege students (currently in school with the highest grade level below college), and nonstudents (N=11,337). This breakdown of young adults had not been addressed previously. Secondary analyses were conducted on data from the 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Full-time college students (21%) were as likely to have an alcohol use disorder as nonstudents (19%), but were more likely than part-time college students (15%) and noncollege students (12%). Only 4% of full-time college students with an alcohol use disorder received any alcohol services in the past year. Of those with an alcohol use disorder who did not receive treatment services, only 2% of full-time college students, close to 1% of part-time college students, and approximately 3% of young adults who were not in college reported a perceived need for alcohol treatment. Full-time college students were less likely than noncollege students to receive treatment for alcohol use disorders. All young adults with an alcohol use disorder were very unlikely to perceive a need for alcohol treatment or counseling. College-age adults have a high prevalence of alcohol use disorders, yet they are very unlikely to receive alcohol treatment or early intervention services or to perceive a need for such services. Underutilization of alcohol-related services among college-age young adults deserves greater research attention.

  19. Artful Reading, Spontaneous Design: Integrating Philosophy, English, and Art in a Creativity Cluster

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Albrecht, Vera; Comins, Barbara

    2014-01-01

    This article informs about a multidisciplinary learning community targeting first year students from diverse cultural backgrounds at an urban community college. The combination of English, art, and philosophy of art in a "Creativity Cluster" offers an excellent opportunity for great teaching and learning experiences. Yet, how can faculty…

  20. Self-Motion Perception during Locomotor Recalibration: More than Meets the Eye

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Durgin, Frank H.; Pelah, Adar; Fox, Laura F.; Lewis, Jed; Kane, Rachel; Walley, Katherine A.

    2005-01-01

    Do locomotor after effects depend specifically on visual feedback? In 7 experiments, 116 college students were tested, with closed eyes, at stationary running or at walking to a previewed target after adaptation, with closed eyes, to treadmill locomotion. Subjects showed faster inadvertent drift during stationary running and increased distance…

  1. Microsoft Excel Software Usage for Teaching Science and Engineering Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Singh, Gurmukh; Siddiqui, Khalid

    2009-01-01

    In this article, our main objective is to present the use of Microsoft Software Excel 2007/2003 for teaching college and university level curriculum in science and engineering. In particular, we discuss two interesting and fascinating examples of interactive applications of Microsoft Excel targeted for undergraduate students in: 1) computational…

  2. Using the Multiple Choice Procedure to Measure College Student Gambling

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Butler, Leon Harvey

    2010-01-01

    Research suggests that gambling is similar to addictive behaviors such as substance use. In the current study, gambling was investigated from a behavioral economics perspective. The Multiple Choice Procedure (MCP) with gambling as the target behavior was used to assess for relative reinforcing value, the effect of alternative reinforcers, and…

  3. Identifying College Students' Multiple Intelligences to Enhance Motivation and Language Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Madkour, Magda; Mohamed, Rafik Ahmed Abdel Moati

    2016-01-01

    While most research studies on the theory of multiple intelligences focused on the application of the multiple intelligences domains as separate components, this quasi-experimental research targeted the effect of multiple intelligences as integrated abilities for teaching and learning English at higher education. The purpose of this study was to…

  4. Targeting, Segmenting and Positioning the Market for College Students to Increase Customer Satisfaction and Overall Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wright, Robert E.

    2008-01-01

    Numerous studies have explored the relationship between marketing efforts and firm financial performance. Studies have looked at potential lifetime value of customers, to demonstrate the value of keeping customers. Various other studies have looked at the relationship between customer satisfaction and firm performance. However, few studies have…

  5. Personalized Boosters for a Computerized Intervention Targeting College Drinking: The Influence of Protective Behavioral Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Braitman, Abby L.; Henson, James M.

    2016-01-01

    Objective: Computerized interventions are cost-effective and can quickly deliver individual feedback to many students. However, in-person interventions are more efficacious. The current study sought to improve the efficacy of a popular online intervention via e-mailed boosters with personalized feedback. Participants: Participants were 213 student…

  6. Minding the Gap: Annotation as Preparation for Discussion

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Feito, Jose Alfonso; Donahue, Patricia

    2008-01-01

    This research project examines classroom discussion in its relationship to reading as made visible through the practice of textual annotation. In order to develop a rich description of student reading/discussion processes, we targeted multiple undergraduate seminars at a liberal arts college as they encountered the first two Acts of Shakespeare's…

  7. Comprehensive Development Plan in Office Skills. Final Performance Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waubonsee Community Coll., Sugar Grove, IL.

    The Waubonsee Community College Comprehensive Development Plan in Office Skills served 208 students by assessment of basic skills and referral to appropriate programs or help with job skills and referral to employment during the 18-month grant period from December 1988 through June 30, 1990. The target population was minority women or economically…

  8. Perkins Core Performance Measures Results and Targets, 2000-2001.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McHewitt, Earl R.; Taylor, Garry

    This is a report on 2000-2001 Perkins III core performance standards and measures for the Virginia Community College System (VCCS). Perkins performance measure definitions for the system were finalized with the Virginia and federal departments of education in fall 2000. Core indicators include: (1) student attainment, which measures academic and…

  9. Perkins Core Performance Measures: Results and Targets, 2001-2002.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McHewitt, Earl R.; Taylor, Garry

    This report addresses the Virginia Community College System's (VCCS) core performance standards and measures for the years 2001-2002. There are four core indicators through which the VCCS is assessed. They are the following: (1) student attainment including academic and technical skills; (2) completion/graduation rate using first time, full-time…

  10. Control of Prose Processing via Instructional and Typographical Cues.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Glynn, Shawn M.; Di Vesta, Francis J.

    1979-01-01

    College students studied text about an imaginary solar system. Two cuing systems were manipulated to induce a single or double set of cues consistent with one or two sets of text propositions, or no target propositions were specified. Cuing systems guided construction and implementation of prose-processing decision criteria. (Author/RD)

  11. Semantic priming effects in a lexical decision task: comparing third graders and college students in two different stimulus onset asynchronies.

    PubMed

    Holderbaum, Candice Steffen; de Salles, Jerusa Fumagalli

    2011-11-01

    Differences in the semantic priming effect comparing child and adult performance have been found by some studies. However, these differences are not well established, mostly because of the variety of methods used by researchers around the world. One of the main issues concerns the absence of semantic priming effects on children at stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) smaller than 300ms. The aim of this study was to compare the semantic priming effect between third graders and college students at two different SOAs: 250ms and 500ms. Participants performed lexical decisions to targets which were preceded by semantic related or unrelated primes. Semantic priming effects were found at both SOAs in the third graders' group and in college students. Despite the fact that there was no difference between groups in the magnitude of semantic priming effects when SOA was 250ms, at the 500ms SOA their magnitude was bigger in children, corroborating previous studies. Hypotheses which could explain the presence of semantic priming effects in children's performance when SOA was 250ms are discussed, as well as hypotheses for the larger magnitude of semantic priming effects in children when SOA was 500ms.

  12. Protecting Colleges and Students: Community College Strategies to Prevent Default

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McKibben, Bryce; La Rocque, Matthew; Cochrane, Debbie

    2014-01-01

    Student loan default, defined as federal loan borrowers' failure to make any payments for at least 270 days, is an issue of increasing importance to community colleges and their students. This report takes a unique look at student loan default at nine community colleges across the nation, and how those colleges are working to help students avoid…

  13. Protective Effects of Parent-College Student Communication during the First Semester of College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Small, Meg L.; Morgan, Nicole; Abar, Caitlin; Maggs, Jennifer L.

    2011-01-01

    Objective: Recent studies suggest that parents maintain influence as their adolescents transition into college. Advances in communication technology make frequent communication between parents and college students easy and affordable. This study examines the protective effect of parent-college student communication on student drinking behaviors,…

  14. College Student Access: How Articulation Agreements Support Rural Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jaeger, Audrey J.; Dunstan, Stephany Brett; Dixon, Karrie Gibson

    2015-01-01

    Students from rural areas face additional burdens, such as affordability, academic preparation, and lack of college-going resources that make seeking, enrolling, and attending college more difficult. Community colleges offer hope to achieve a college degree for many rural students, and well-developed articulation agreements can be one way of…

  15. Investigating Sense of Community in First-Year College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jacobs, Jeff; Archie, Tim

    2008-01-01

    Why do students leave college and how can colleges retain them? Researchers and administrators have been asking these questions for decades and have discovered that student persistence is a complex phenomenon. First-year student departure from postsecondary institutions is a concern for most colleges and universities. U.S. colleges and…

  16. A Logistic Regression Analysis of Score Sending and College Matching among High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oates, Krystle S.

    2015-01-01

    College decisions are often the result of a variety of influences related to student background characteristics, academic characteristics, college preferences and college aspirations. College counselors recommend that students choose a variety of schools, especially schools where the general student body matches the academic achievement of…

  17. Measuring the Quality of College Student Experiences. An Account of the Development and Use of the College Student Experiences Questionnaire.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pace, C. Robert

    The development and use of the College Student Experiences Questionnaire to assess the quality of students' effort and the attainment of college-related goals are discussed. The questionnaire covers college facilities (e.g., educational, cultural, and recreational), and personal/interpersonal experiences at college. Responses to 14 scales covering…

  18. Emerging Technologies as a Form of Student Engagement for Nontraditional California Community College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ogilvie, Gina M.

    2011-01-01

    Technology usage is increasing important for community college students, but whether nontraditional students differ from traditional students in technology usage and support was unclear. Further, it was not known whether Nontraditional and Traditional community college students feel equally connected to the college when using social networking…

  19. Understanding the Academic Struggles of Community College Student Athletes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Demas, Jason

    2017-01-01

    When students begin their education at community colleges, they may face more obstacles to obtaining their college education than students starting in four-year institutions. Research has shown the importance of academic and student services in the support of student athletes, that community college student athletes are often at academic risk, and…

  20. Prevalence of substance use among college students in Eldoret, western Kenya.

    PubMed

    Atwoli, Lukoye; Mungla, Prisca A; Ndung'u, Moses N; Kinoti, Kiende C; Ogot, Evans M

    2011-02-28

    Substance use among college and university students predicts substance related problems in later life. Few studies on this phenomenon have been carried out in low income countries, and most focus on primary and secondary school students. This study therefore aimed to establish the prevalence and factors associated with drug use among university and college students in a low income country. A descriptive cross-sectional survey using the Self-Administered WHO Model Core Questionnaire to collect information on use of various drugs among students in colleges and university campuses within Eldoret Municipality in Western Kenya. Four tertiary learning institutions in Eldoret Municipality were randomly selected for inclusion in the study- three tertiary level non-university institutions and one university campus. Five hundred students who gave consent to participate in the study, 125 from each of the four participating institutions. The mean age was 22.9 years (18-32, s.d. 2.5), and males made up 52.2% of the sample. Lifetime prevalence rate of any substance use was 69.8%, and none of the socio-demographic factors was significantly associated with this. Lifetime prevalence rate of alcohol use was 51.9%, and 97.6% of alcohol users had consumed alcohol in the week prior to the study. The prevalence rate of cigarette use was 42.8%, with males having statistically significantly higher rates than females (p < 0.05). Other substances used were cannabis (2%) and cocaine (0.6%). Among those who admitted to using substances, 75.1% were introduced by a friend while 23.5% were introduced by a relative other than a member of the nuclear family. Majority of those using substances wanted to relax (62.2%) or relieve stress (60.8%). Problems associated with alcohol use included quarrelling and fights, loss and damage to property, problems with parents, medical problems and unplanned unprotected sex. The prevalence of substance use among college and university students in Eldoret is high and causes significant physical and psychosocial problems in this population. A large proportion of those using alcohol reported serious adverse effects, raising the necessity of targeted interventions to reduce the risk of subsequent substance dependence and other deleterious consequences.

  1. Differences in sleep habits, study time, and academic performance between US-born and foreign-born college students.

    PubMed

    Eliasson, Arne H; Eliasson, Arn H; Lettieri, Christopher J

    2017-05-01

    To inform the design of a sleep improvement program for college students, we assessed academic performance, sleep habits, study hours, and extracurricular time, hypothesizing that there would be differences between US-born and foreign-born students. Questionnaires queried participants on bedtimes, wake times, nap frequency, differences in weekday and weekend sleep habits, study hours, grade point average, time spent at paid employment, and other extracurricular activities. Comparisons were made using chi square tests for categorical data and t tests for continuous data between US-born and foreign-born students. Of 120 participants (55 % women) with racial diversity (49 whites, 18 blacks, 26 Hispanics, 14 Asians, and 13 other), 49 (41 %) were foreign-born. Comparisons between US-born and foreign-born students showed no differences in average age or gender though US-born had more whites. There were no differences between US-born and foreign-born students for grade point averages, weekday bedtimes, wake times, or total sleep times. However, US-born students averaged 50 min less study time per day (p = 0.01), had almost 9 h less paid employment per week (14.5 vs 23.4 h per week, p = 0.001), and stayed up to socialize more frequently (63 vs 43 %, p = 0.03). Foreign-born students awakened an hour earlier and averaged 40 min less sleep per night on weekends. Cultural differences among college students have a profound effect on sleep habits, study hours, and extracurricular time. The design of a sleep improvement program targeting a population with diverse cultural backgrounds must factor in such behavioral variations in order to have relevance and impact.

  2. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) and texting while driving behavior in college students.

    PubMed

    Bazargan-Hejazi, Shahrzad; Teruya, Stacey; Pan, Deyu; Lin, Johnny; Gordon, David; Krochalk, Pamela C; Bazargan, Mohsen

    2017-01-02

    To examine the role of intent and other theory of planned behavior (TPB) constructs in predicting college students' willingness to text while driving (TWD). This was a cross-sectional study. 243 male and female college students enrolled in the 2013-2014 academic year in the College of Health, Human Services & Nursing completed a survey on TWD. All races and ethnicities, ≥18 years of age, cell phone owner, and licensed driver. Over 70% of the sample (n = 243) reported talking on a cell phone and sending and receiving text messages "at least a few times" while driving within the past week. However, only 27% reported being stopped by police. Of these, 22% reported being fined. Within the past 30 days, 26% reported reading or sending TWD and having to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting another car or pedestrian(s) as a result. In all, 47% of the variance in intention to send TWD was accounted for by the full TPB model. Intention, in turn, predicted willingness to TWD. Intention also mediated the relationship between perceived behavioral control and willingness to TWD. Attitude was found to be the strongest predictor of intention. In addition, intention was found to mediate the relationship of willingness to TWD on perceived behavioral control. These findings highlight potential factors that could be targeted in behavioral change interventions seeking to prevent TWD.

  3. Problem and pathological gambling among college athletes.

    PubMed

    Kerber, Cynthia Sullivan

    2005-01-01

    Problematic gambling is common in college students, and in particular, athletes. The frequency of problem and pathological gambling was determined among 636 college athletes at three Midwest universities using the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS). The Gambling Attitude Scale (GAS) was used to assess college athletes' attitudes toward gambling in general and toward four modes of gambling (casinos, betting on horse races, lottery and the Internet). A profile of college athletes' gambling attitudes and behavior was developed through the data obtained from each of these instruments. Nearly 15% of respondents had a SOGS score >or=3, indicating problem or pathological gambling. Those at risk for a gambling problem gambled frequently, had family and/or friends with perceived gambling problems, were nonwhite, older, started gambling at a younger age, preferred games of skill, and held positive attitudes toward gambling in general and Internet gambling, in particular. Gambling problems are widespread among college athletes who constitute a vulnerable group. Specific interventions are needed to target this group.

  4. When in Rome: Factors associated with changes in drinking behavior among American college students studying abroad

    PubMed Central

    Pedersen, Eric R.; Larimer, Mary E.; Lee, Christine M.

    2013-01-01

    Study abroad programs have the potential to promote cultural, experiential, and personal development for escalating numbers of American college students each year. Despite reports that study abroad students may be at particular risk for increased and problematic alcohol use, there is limited empirical documentation of this risk. Thus, the present study used a longitudinal design to examine the factors associated with changes in alcohol use among college students studying in foreign countries. A sample of 177 students completed measures of demographics, drinking behavior, and perceived peer drinking behavior one month prior to departure and one-month post-study abroad return. Analyses revealed that participants more than doubled their drinking during study abroad trips and those who drank at heavier levels while abroad returned home drinking at significantly elevated levels. This pattern of increased use while abroad was moderated by several factors, with participants studying abroad in Europe (e.g., Italy, France) and Oceania (e.g., Australia, New Zealand), those under the age of 21, those with higher intentions of drinking while abroad, and those with higher drinking perceptions of other study abroad students in their host country increased their alcohol consumption to a greater extent than other participants. Results suggest drinking while abroad is a concern warranting further investigation, especially regarding how changes in drinking may contribute to the experience of alcohol-related consequences abroad. Continued identification of the risk factors associated with increased drinking can help inform targeted pre-departure preventive interventions with these students. PMID:20853940

  5. A Technology-Mediated Behavioral Weight Gain Prevention Intervention for College Students: Controlled, Quasi-Experimental Study

    PubMed Central

    Monroe, Courtney M; Turner-McGrievy, Gabrielle; Sundstrom, Beth; Larsen, Chelsea; Magradey, Karen; Wilcox, Sara; Brandt, Heather M

    2016-01-01

    Background Both men and women are vulnerable to weight gain during the college years, and this phenomenon is linked to an increased risk of several chronic diseases and mortality. Technology represents an attractive medium for the delivery of weight control interventions focused on college students, given its reach and appeal among this population. However, few technology-mediated weight gain prevention interventions have been evaluated for college students. Objective This study examined a new technology-based, social media-facilitated weight gain prevention intervention for college students. Methods Undergraduates (n =58) in two sections of a public university course were allocated to either a behavioral weight gain prevention intervention (Healthy Weight, HW; N=29) or a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination awareness intervention (control; N=29). All students were enrolled, regardless of initial body weight or expressed interest in weight management. The interventions delivered 8 lessons via electronic newsletters and Facebook postings over 9 weeks, which were designed to foster social support and introduce relevant educational content. The HW intervention targeted behavioral strategies to prevent weight gain and provided participants with a Wi-Fi-enabled scale and an electronic physical activity tracker to facilitate weight regulation. A repeated-measures analysis of variance was conducted to examine within- and between-group differences in measures of self-reported weight control practices and objectively measured weight. Use of each intervention medium and device was objectively tracked, and intervention satisfaction measures were obtained. Results Students remained weight stable (HW: −0.48+1.9 kg; control: −0.45+1.4 kg), with no significant difference between groups over 9 weeks (P =.94). However, HW students reported a significantly greater increase in the number of appropriate weight control strategies than did controls (2.1+4.5 vs −1.1+3.4, respectively; P =.003) and there was no increase in inappropriate weight control behaviors (P =.11). More than 90% of students in the HW arm opened the electronic newsletters each week, and the average number of Facebook interactions (comments and likes) per student each week was 3.3+1.4. Each self-monitoring device was initialized by 90% of HW students. On average, they used their physical activity tracker for 23.7+15.2 days and their Wi-Fi scale for 14.1+13.1 days over the 9 weeks. HW students rated the intervention favorably. Conclusions The short-term effect of this technology-based weight gain prevention intervention for college students is promising and merits evaluation over a longer duration to determine whether engagement and behavioral improvements positively affect weight outcomes and can be maintained. PMID:27296086

  6. Making the Grade: Texas Early College High Schools Prepare Students for College. Executive Summary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jobs for the Future, 2011

    2011-01-01

    Early college high schools are improving student outcomes in Texas. This performance is being achieved by youth who are underrepresented in college, including Hispanic youth, economically disadvantaged students, and first-generation college goers. In improving readiness for college and careers, early college schools have become an essential part…

  7. Supporting and Preparing Future First-Generation College Students in the High School Environment: Implications for School Counselors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bryant, Jill K.; Nicolas, Joanna

    2011-01-01

    This study surveyed college freshmen from two different institutions in order to examine differences between First-Generation College Students and Continuing-Generation College Students. Differences between groups emerged for high school academic preparation, college exploration behaviors, college application behaviors, and college decision-making…

  8. Social anhedonia, but not positive schizotypy, is associated with poor affective control.

    PubMed

    Martin, Elizabeth A; Cicero, David C; Kerns, John G

    2012-07-01

    Emotion researchers have distinguished between automatic versus controlled processing of affective information. One previous study with a small sample size found that extreme levels of social anhedonia (SocAnh) in college students, which predicts future schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, is associated with problems in controlled affective processing on a primed evaluation task. The current study examined whether in a larger college student sample SocAnh but not elevated perceptual aberration/magical ideation (PerMag) was associated with poor controlled affective processing. On the primed evaluation task, primes and targets could be either affectively congruent or incongruent and participants judged the valence of targets. Previous research on this task has found that participants appear to use controlled processing in an attempt to counteract the influence of the prime in evaluating the target. In this study, compared to the PerMag (n = 48) and control groups (n = 338), people with extreme levels of social anhedonia (n = 62) exhibited increased affective interference as they were slower for incongruent than for congruent trials. In contrast, there were no differences between the PerMag and control groups. Overall, these results suggest that SocAnh, but not PerMag, is associated with poor controlled affective processing. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

  9. Human papillomavirus vaccine awareness, acceptability, and decision-making factors among Chinese college students.

    PubMed

    Wang, Shao-Ming; Zhang, Shao-Kai; Pan, Xiong-Fei; Ren, Ze-Fang; Yang, Chun-Xia; Wang, Zeng-Zhen; Gao, Xiao-Hong; Li, Man; Zheng, Quan-Qing; Ma, Wei; Zhao, Fang-Hui; Qiao, You-Lin; Sivasubramaniam, Priya

    2014-01-01

    College students are recommended as the target groups for catch-up human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. Systematical exploration of awareness, acceptability, and decision-making factors of HPV vaccination among Chinese college students has been limited. A multi-center survey was conducted in mainland China between November 2011 and May 2012. College students aged 18-22 years were stratified by their grade, gender, and major for sampling. Socio-demographic and HPV-related information such as knowledge, perceptions, acceptability, and attitudes were collected through a questionnaire. A total of 3,497 undergraduates completed the questionnaire, among which 1,686 were males. The acceptability of the HPV vaccine was high (70.8%). Undergraduates from high-level universities, at lower grade, or with greater prior knowledge of HPV vaccines showed higher acceptability of HPV vaccination (ptrend <0.001). Additionally, undergraduates with vaccination experience outside the National Expanded Program on Immunization (OR=1.29; 95%CI: 1.10-1.51) or fear of HPV-related diseases (OR=2.79; 95%CI: 2.28-3.41) were more willing to accept HPV vaccination. General knowledge of HPV vaccine was low among undergraduates, and safety was a major concern (71.05%). The majority of students wished to pay less than 300RMB for HPV vaccine and chose the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention as the most appropriate venue for vaccination. Although most undergraduates demonstrate positive attitudes towards HPV vaccination, challenges pertaining to introduction exist in China. Corresponding proactive education and governmental subsidy to do so are urgently needed by this age-group population. Suggestions and potential strategies indicated may help shape the future HPV vaccination program in China.

  10. Turning the Question Around: Do Colleges Fail to Meet Students' Expectations?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosenbaum, James E.; Becker, Kelly Iwanaga; Cepa, Kennan A.; Zapata-Gietl, Claudia E.

    2016-01-01

    Research often focuses on how students fail to meet college expectations, but it rarely asks how colleges fail to meet students' expectations. This study examines students' expectations of college and their institutional confidence--their level of certainty that college will meet their expectations. Drawing on 65 pilot interviews and a survey of…

  11. College and Careers Project, 1993-96. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fixman, Carol S.

    The College and Careers Project sought to increase college attendance of at-risk students in the Philadelphia public high schools and to help students link their college and career planning. Over a three-year period, 48 students from 4 high schools participated. Students took part in college preparatory and career awareness activities throughout…

  12. First-Generation College Students' Persistence at a Four-Year College: A Phenomenological Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holodick-Reed, Jocelyn A.

    2013-01-01

    First-generation college students differ in their backgrounds and experiences from other college students and are more likely to drop out of college than continuing-generation students (Ishitani & Snider, 2004; Lohfink & Paulsen, 2005). The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to describe the experiences of first-generation…

  13. Fall 2002 Student Profile. Based upon First Census Data.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Glyer-Culver, Betty.

    This is the 13th in a series of student profiles for the Los Rios Community College District (LRCCD), California. These annual summaries provide the district and its colleges (American River College, Cosumnes River College, and Sacramento City College) with data on student demographics and enrollment trends. The fall 2002 student profile contains…

  14. College-Bound Digest, 1982-83: A Series of Thought-Provoking, Educational Articles for College-Bound Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Educational Communications, Inc., Lake Forest, IL.

    Fourteen articles are directed to college-bound students regarding student financial aid information, the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), advanced placement and credit by examination, college selection, types of colleges, choosing a major, and earning power after graduation. Techniques and publications that may help students gather accurate…

  15. Evaluation of a Community College Veteran Center and Student Veteran Success

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moore, Tracy Trenell

    2017-01-01

    Student affairs professionals at community colleges are being confronted with a growing population of student veterans. Many college campuses are offering special academic support for veterans, while others are struggling to meet basic needs. Student veteran centers are becoming common on community college campuses as college campuses seek focused…

  16. Tracking Community College Transfers Using National Student Clearinghouse Data.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Romano, Richard M.; Wisniewski, Martin

    This study shows how community colleges can track almost all of their own students who transfer into both public and private colleges and across state lines using the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) database. It utilizes data from the student information systems of Broome Community College, New York; Cayuga Community College, New York; the…

  17. Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, Title IV General Provisions/Needs Analysis, Volume 4. Hearings before the Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education of the Committee on Education and Labor. House of Representatives, Ninety-Ninth Congress, First Session (July 17, August 1, 1985).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. House Committee on Education and Labor.

    Hearings on reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965 focus on the needs analysis system for student aid programs. One proposal recommends restructuring the Pell Grant Program to target its support on low-income students and to make it more sensitive to the costs of different types of colleges. Recommendations include: implementing a…

  18. Intervention activities to improve the reasoning ability of students at risk in introductory physics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Coletta, Vincent P.; Phillips, J.

    2006-12-01

    We describe a number of activities we have begun using in interventions targeting students who are at risk in introductory college physics courses. Some are adaptations of the work of others with pre-high school children, including Philip Adey in Great Britain (Cognitive Acceleration though Science Education), Reuven Feuerstein in Israel (Instrumental Enrichment), and Kurtz and Karplus in the U. S. in the 70’s (Numerical Relationships). We have also added some other activities, including Sudoku strategy development.

  19. Student Organizations on Community College Campuses: An Examination of Engagement Levels of Community College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carmody Roster, Ellen

    2013-01-01

    This study uses data from the 2011 Community College Survey of Student Engagement [CCSSE] to compare students' engagement in academic pursuits and their relationships to fellow students, faculty, and administrators at community colleges that host highly-involved Phi Theta Kappa chapters, with students' perceptions of these attributes at community…

  20. Using Demographic Variables and In-College Attributes to Predict Course-Level Retention for Community College Spanish Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guerin, Aimee

    2016-01-01

    Student retention rates in higher education have been a focus of study for decades, yet the problem of low student retention still exists, particularly among community college students. While student retention has not been empirically investigated among community college students in language courses, the specific problem of low course-level…

  1. College Student Video Gaming and Parental Influence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chue, Maechi

    2011-01-01

    Video gaming is prevalent among college students, and researchers have documented negative consequences from some students' excessive video gaming, but the study of past and current parental influence on college student video gaming is limited. This study collected data from college students from several Midwestern U.S. universities using an…

  2. Leaving College: Rethinking the Causes and Cures of Student Attrition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tinto, Vincent

    The dimensions and consequences of college student attrition and features of institutional action to deal with attrition are discussed. Patterns of student departure from individual colleges as opposed to permanent college withdrawal are addressed. After synthesizing the research on multiple causes of student leaving, a theory of student departure…

  3. Migrant Students' College Access: Emerging Evidence from the Migrant Student Leadership Institute

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nunez, Anne-Marie

    2009-01-01

    Little is known about migrant students' college access. Outreach programs serving such students rarely track their participants' postsecondary trajectories, nor do they compare participants' college access outcomes with those of similar students. This study examines the California public college application, acceptance, and enrollment patterns of…

  4. Epistemological Perspectives on Cognitive Development in College Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hettich, Paul

    Seldom are college students introduced to theories that describe how they and other students change intellectually during their college years. Two epistemological perspectives on cognitive development in college students and how they can be presented to students are examined in this paper. The first perspective is William Perry's forms of…

  5. College-"Conocimiento": Toward an Interdisciplinary College Choice Framework for Latinx Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Acevedo-Gil, Nancy

    2017-01-01

    This paper builds upon Perna's college choice model by integrating Anzaldúa's theory of "conocimiento" to propose an interdisciplinary college choice framework for Latinx students. Using previous literature, this paper proposes college-"conocimiento" as a framework that contextualizes Latinx student college choices within the…

  6. Patterns of electronic cigarette use in current and ever users among college students in France: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Tavolacci, Marie-Pierre; Vasiliu, Anca; Romo, Lucia; Kotbagi, Gayatri; Kern, Laurence; Ladner, Joël

    2016-05-27

    There is sparse information on electronic cigarette use and health behaviours among college student populations. Our objectives were to identify the patterns of electronic cigarette use in current and ever users among college students in France. Cross-sectional study. A multicentre cross-sectional study was conducted on two major campuses in France. Students filled in an anonymous questionnaire on their use of electronic cigarettes and on targeted behaviours such as smoking, alcohol consumption, binge drinking, use of cannabis, practice of sport and eating disorders. Ever use of electronic cigarettes was defined as use but not during the previous 30 days, and current use of electronic cigarettes as any use in the previous 30 days. The opinions and motivations of electronic cigarette users were also sought and collected. 1134 college students between October 2014 and February 2015. The 1134 students included had a mean age of 20.8 years. The prevalence of ever use and current use of electronic cigarettes was 23.0% (95% CI (20.5% to 25.3%)) and 5.7% (95% CI (4.4% to 7.1%)), respectively. The prevalence of the combined use of conventional cigarettes and electronic cigarettes was 14.5%. Almost half (45.8%) of the ever users of electronic cigarettes had never smoked conventional cigarettes. Behaviours associated with ever use of electronic cigarettes were current cigarette smoking (adjusted OR (AOR)=3.97, 95% CI 2.71 to 5.83), former smoking (AOR=2.56, 95% CI 1.42 to 4.61), cannabis use (AOR=2.44, 95% CI 1.70 to 3.51) and occasional binge drinking (AOR=1.83, 95% CI 1.28 to 2.64). The only behaviour associated with current use of electronic cigarettes was conventional smoking, either previously (AOR=4.85, 95% CI 1.53 to 15.34) or currently (AOR=14.53, 95% CI 6.81 to 31.02). The ever users have an experimenter's profile with sensation-seeking while the current users are mostly smokers with intention to quit smoking. Our findings are crucial for the accurate targeting of student populations at risk and to implement appropriate awareness campaigns and health education programmes. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  7. Point-of-purchase messages framed in terms of cost, convenience, taste, and energy improve healthful snack selection in a college foodservice setting.

    PubMed

    Buscher, L A; Martin, K A; Crocker, S

    2001-08-01

    To examine the effects of a point-of-purchase (POP) intervention emphasizing various properties of healthful food items on college students' snack purchases. In Study 1, vegetable baskets (containing cut pieces of vegetables), fruit baskets (containing cut pieces of fruit), pretzels, and yogurt were promoted in separate POP interventions. Food sales were monitored over 2-week baseline, 4-week intervention, and 2-week follow-up periods. In Study 2, yogurt was promoted across a 2-week baseline, 12-week intervention, and 2-week follow-up periods and an intercept survey was conducted. Approximately 2,280 university students were potentially exposed to the intervention, and 72 students responded to the intercept survey. POP messages were placed on an 11 x 17-in poster located at the cafeteria entrance, and two 4 x 2.5-in signs placed next to the targeted food item. Messages emphasized the Budget-friendly, Energizing, Sensory/taste, Time efficient/convenient (BEST) stimulus properties of food. Daily sales of the targeted food items. Analyses of variance with Tukey post hoc tests were used to compare food sales during the baseline, intervention, and follow-up periods. In Study 1, yogurt and pretzel sales increased during the intervention and post-intervention periods (P<.05). Interventions had no effect on fruit basket and vegetable basket sales (P>.05), but whole fruit sales increased during the fruit basket intervention and follow-up (P<.05). In Study 2, yogurt sales were significantly greater during the intervention and follow-up periods than at baseline (P<.01). Using the BEST properties in POP interventions may be beneficial in promoting the consumption of healthful foods among university students, particularly when the targeted foods are priced comparably to less healthful foods.

  8. Relationship of credit attitude and debt to self-esteem and locus of control in college-age consumers.

    PubMed

    Pinto, Mary Beth; Mansfield, Phylis M; Parente, Diane H

    2004-06-01

    College-age consumers are one of the groups most highly targeted by credit card marketers. While some college students use their credit cards wisely, others are unable to control their spending. The objective of this study was to investigate differences in attitude toward credit cards and the psychological factors of self-esteem and locus of control among college students who possess one or more credit cards. Attitude was operationalized to include three underlying components: cognitive, affective, and behavioral. We separated credit users into subcategories based on amount of installment debt. Convenience users were defined as those consumers who paid the credit-card balance in full each month. Installment users were classified as consumers who carried a balance month-to-month. Convenience users were compared to mild and heavy installment users to assess significance of differences in attitudinal and psychological factors. There were no significant differences in the psychological factors across the credit-card user groups. In addition, there was a statistically significant difference on each of the attitude components (knowledge/beliefs, affect, and behavior) across user groups; convenience users, mild installment, and heavy installment users.

  9. The relationship of parental reinforcement of media messages to college students' alcohol-related behaviors.

    PubMed

    Weintraub Austin, Erica; Chen, Yin Ju

    2003-01-01

    Although alcohol consumption is a problem on the college campus, beliefs and behaviors predictive of alcohol use are in development in children as young as third grade. Because they develop partially in response to interpretations of media messages, for which parents can have an influence, this study examined how college students' (N=300) recollections of parental reinforcement of media messages associated with alcohol-related beliefs and behaviors. Structural equation modeling showed that recalled positive mediation negatively predicted skepticism, and positively predicted desirability and expectancies. Desirability of media messages predicted more positive norms perceptions, and a lack of skepticism predicted more positive expectancies. With age of first experimentation controlled, expectancies predicted heavier current drinking behavior. Norms did not predict behavior, and positive mediation did not predict norms. The study concludes that to the extent parental communication leads adolescents to interpret media messages less skeptically, they encourage adolescents to find alcohol portrayals appealing. This in turn appears to lead toward more risky behaviors. The results suggest that college-based anti-alcohol campaigns can benefit by acknowledging the appeal of competing messages and by including parents as a campaign target.

  10. Identification of computer-generated facial composites.

    PubMed

    Kovera, M B; Penrod, S D; Pappas, C; Thill, D L

    1997-04-01

    Two studies examined the effectiveness of the Mac-a-Mug Pro, a computerized facial composite production system. In the first study, college freshmen prepared from memory composites of other students and faculty from their former high schools. Other students who had attended the same high schools could not recognize the composites of either students or faculty members when the composites of individuals known to them (n = 10) were mixed with composites of a large number (n = 40) of strangers. Neither preparer familiarity with the target, preparer-assessed composite quality, nor viewer familiarity predicted composite recognition. Study 2 indicated that naive witnesses who viewed the composites could not select the people depicted in the composites from photo lineups (1 target and 4 foils). The results raise questions about the efficacy of composite systems as tools to promote recognition of suspects in criminal contexts.

  11. Senior nursing students' self-reported college experiences and gains toward liberal education goals.

    PubMed

    Zaborowska, R

    1995-04-01

    The purpose of this descriptive study is to assess baccalaureate nursing students' self-reported achievements toward liberal education goals in college and university settings and compare them to norms for the general college population by measuring their perceived involvement in campus life and activities. At the end of the spring semester, senior nursing students from 11 nursing programs in the Midwest filled out the College Student Experience Questionnaire, developed by Pace (1984), which measures the effort students put into liberal education goals. Nursing students reported high involvement in academic activities, but little involvement in other types of experiences in the college; they reported significant progress toward academic goals like intellectual skills, but less progress toward liberal education goals like art, literature, and music. Nursing students were very similar to other college students (except for students in selective liberal arts colleges) in reported involvement in activities and made similar progress toward liberal education goals.

  12. First Generation College Students: Indicators of College Persistence and Graduation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moore, Angelica

    2013-01-01

    First generation college students are accessing colleges and universities at an increased rate. However, first generation college students, which include a disproportionate number of minorities and low income populations, continue to lag behind their counterparts in graduating from college. More prevalent in the research are factors that cause…

  13. Multiracial College Students' Experiences with Multiracial Microaggressions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harris, Jessica C.

    2017-01-01

    While research on monoracial college students' experiences with racial microaggressions increases, minimal, if any, research focuses on multiracial college students' experiences with racial microaggressions. This manuscript addresses the gap in the literature by focusing on multiracial college students' experiences with multiracial…

  14. Health and academic success: A look at the challenges of first-generation community college students.

    PubMed

    McFadden, Deanna L H

    2016-04-01

    Community colleges in the United States serve more than six million students and are the gateway to postsecondary education for individuals from typically underserved populations such as low-income, ethnic minorities, and first-generation college students. First-generation college students are defined as students whose adoptive or natural parents' highest level of education was a high school diploma or less. Postsecondary education has the potential to reduce both health and socioeconomic disparities. First-generation community college students face significant economic, social, and cultural barriers to academic success and are the most at risk for "dropping-out." The purpose of this brief report was to explore what is known about social, psychological, and physical factors that impede first-generation community college students' academic success. Little is known about potential health and psychological barriers experienced by first-generation community college students that impact academic achievement. Advanced practice nurses (APNs) on community college campuses are in the ideal position to identify and treat health issues, and conduct much-needed research into these areas. College health centers are an important practice setting for APNs to provide direct care to students as well as influence college policies that improve student health, well-being, and promote academic success. ©2016 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

  15. Family and College Environmental Exposures Mediate the Relationship between Parental Education and Depression among College Students.

    PubMed

    Zhai, Hui; Chen, Lu; Yang, Yanjie; Sun, Hailian; Pan, Hui; He, Jincai; Zhu, Xiongzhao; Sui, Hong; Wang, Wenbo; Qiu, Xiaohui; Qiao, Zhengxue; Yang, Xiuxian; Yang, Jiarun; Yu, Yunmiao; Ban, Bo; He, Changzhi

    2016-01-01

    Depression is a major health concern for college students due to its substantial morbidity and mortality. Although low parental education has been identified as a factor in depression in college students, the mechanisms through which parental educational achievement affects students' depression are not well understood. We tested whether adverse family and college environments mediate the relationship between parental educational level and depression among Chinese college students. A total of 5180 respondents were selected using a cross-sectional survey. We examined the association of parental education, adverse family and college environments with depression in college students using the Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Checklist, Beck Depression Inventory and socio-demographic questionnaires. Lower parental educational level is significantly correlated with depression in college students in our sample. Additionally, low family economic status, paternal or maternal unemployment, long periods spent apart from family, family conflicts, having been scolded and beaten by parents, poor or dissatisfying test performance, conflict with friends, heavy course load and failure in selection processes are also associated with parental education. Low family economic status, paternal or maternal unemployment, long periods spent apart from family, family conflicts, poor or dissatisfying test performance, conflict with friends and heavy course load mediated the relationship between parental education and depression in college students. Adverse family and college environments could explain the influence of parental educational level on depression in college students.

  16. The Utility of a Brief Web-Based Prevention Intervention as a Universal Approach for Risky Alcohol Use in College Students: Evidence of Moderation by Family History.

    PubMed

    Neale, Zoe E; Salvatore, Jessica E; Cooke, Megan E; Savage, Jeanne E; Aliev, Fazil; Donovan, Kristen K; Hancock, Linda C; Dick, Danielle M

    2018-01-01

    Background: Alcohol use on college campuses is prevalent and contributes to problems that affect the health, emotional wellbeing, and academic success of college students. Risk factors, such as family history of alcohol problems, predict future alcohol problems, but less is known about their potential impact on intervention effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of an intervention implemented in a non-randomized sample of drinking and non-drinking college freshmen. Methods: Freshmen college students recruited for the intervention study ( n = 153) completed a web-adaptation of the Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) at the start of spring semester. We compared their 30-days post-intervention alcohol initiation, number of drinking days (DAYS), drinks per occasion (DRINKS), maximum drinks in 24 h (MAX24) and alcohol use disorder symptoms (AUDsx) to 151 comparison participants retrospectively matched on demographics and baseline alcohol use behaviors. We also tested baseline DRINKS, DAYS, AUDsx, MAX24, and parental family history (PFH) of alcohol problems as moderators of the effect of the intervention. Results: At follow-up, intervention participants had lower rates of AUDsx than comparison participants, especially among baseline drinkers. Among participants drinking 3+ days/month at baseline, intervention participants showed fewer DAYS at follow-up than the comparison group participants. BASICS was also associated with a decreased likelihood of initiation among baseline non-drinkers. PFH significantly interacted with treatment group, with positive PFH intervention participants reporting significantly fewer AUDsx at follow-up compared to positive PFH comparison participants. We found no evidence for an effect of the intervention on DRINKS or MAX24 in our analyses. Conclusions: Results suggest some indication that novel groups, such as non-drinkers, regular drinkers, and PFH positive students may experience benefits from BASICS. Although conclusions were limited by lack of randomization and short follow-up period, PFH positive and low to moderate drinking groups represent viable targets for future randomized studies.

  17. Performance Comparison of Student-Athletes and General College Students on the Functional Movement Screen and the Y Balance Test.

    PubMed

    Engquist, Katherine D; Smith, Craig A; Chimera, Nicole J; Warren, Meghan

    2015-08-01

    Although various studies have assessed performance of athletes on the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) and the Y Balance Test (YBT), no study to date has directly evaluated a comparison of performance between athletes and members of the general population. Thus, to better understand the application of the FMS and the YBT to general college students, this study examined whether or not general college students performed similarly to student-athletes on the FMS (composite and movement pattern scores) and the YBT (composite and reach directions). This study evaluated 167 Division I student-athletes and 103 general college students from the same university on the FMS and the YBT. No difference was found in FMS composite scores between student-athletes and general college students. For FMS movement patterns, female student-athletes scored higher than general college students in the deep squat. No difference was found for men in any FMS movement pattern. Female student-athletes scored higher than female general college students in YBT composite scores; no difference was found for men in YBT composite scores. In analysis of YBT reach directions, female student-athletes scored higher than female general college students in all reach directions, whereas no difference was found in men. Existing research on the FMS composite score in athletic populations may apply to a general college population for the purposes of preparticipation screening, injury prediction, etc. Existing research on the YBT in male athletic populations is expected to apply equally to general college males for the purposes of preparticipation screening, injury prediction, etc.

  18. Supportive College Environment for Meaning Searching and Meaning in Life among American College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shin, Joo Yeon; Steger, Michael F.

    2016-01-01

    We examined whether American college students who perceive their college environment as supportive for their meaning searching report higher levels of meaning in life. We also examined whether students' perception of college environmental support for meaning searching moderates the relation between the presence of and search for meaning. Students'…

  19. Community College Students' Perceptions of Educational Counseling, Its Value, and Its Relationship with Students' Academic and Social Integration into the Community College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guzman, Sergio A.

    2014-01-01

    This dissertation investigated community college students' perceptions about educational counseling, its value, and its relationship with academic and social integration into the college environment. In an attempt to explore students' perceptions, a quantitative study was conducted at four California community colleges. The survey was distributed…

  20. Cracking the Student Aid Code: Parent and Student Perspectives on Paying for College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    College Board Advocacy & Policy Center, 2010

    2010-01-01

    Paying for college is a challenge for many Americans and navigating the financial aid process can be very difficult, especially for low-income and first-generation college students. The College Board commissioned research to learn more about students' and parents' knowledge, beliefs and attitudes about the importance of a college education and how…

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