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Understanding the Link Between Noncognitive Attributes and College Retention

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Abstract

The attention to students’ noncognitive attributes has recently flourished within academic research and public discourse. This paper adds to the literature by examining the interrelationships among several key noncognitive attributes as well as exploring direct and indirect relationships between noncognitive attributes and second-year retention. Within a multi-institutional sample of 10,622 students, academic self-efficacy, academic grit, self-discipline, and time management all load onto a single noncognitive factor with strong inter-item correlations and internal reliability. Moreover, structural equation modeling analyses indicate a sizable and positive indirect effect of noncognitive attributes on college retention, which is mediated by social adjustment, institutional commitment, and college grade point average.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Research on Undergraduate Education, N438A Lindquist Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA

    Nicholas A. Bowman

  2. BKD, LLP, Springfield, MO, USA

    Annette Miller

  3. Skyfactor, Springfield, MO, USA

    Sherry Woosley

  4. Missouri State University, Springfield, MO, USA

    Nicholas P. Maxwell

  5. George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA

    Mary Jo Kolze

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  1. Nicholas A. Bowman
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  2. Annette Miller
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Correspondence to Nicholas A. Bowman.

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Bowman, N.A., Miller, A., Woosley, S. et al. Understanding the Link Between Noncognitive Attributes and College Retention. Res High Educ 60, 135–152 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-018-9508-0

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