Variables affecting first-year student commitment during the transition to college in Ireland

This study explores the need to incorporate well-being as a predictor in traditionally academically focused models of student persistence during the transition to college. A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted with 574 first-year students aged 17 –22 years attending a university in Ireland to examine the effect of student persistence and well-being variables on student commitment during the transition to college. This study highlights the connection between student academic, social and well-being variables during the transition to college within the fitted models that emerged from the data. Student well-being plays a key role ensuring student persistence during the transition to college. The results support our hypothesis that many student variables have the potential to substantially impact student commitment during the first-year t ransition to college. These variables include student depression, self-rated health, academic environment, peer connections and perceiving the academic programme to be an appropriate personal choice. It is therefore important for education institutions to acknowledge and address student persistence and student well-being in an integrative way and for traditionally academically focused student retention models to orientate to incorporate student well-being.
Source: Health Promotion International - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research