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Individual and Environmental Predictors of College Adjustment: Prevention and Intervention

Current Psychology volume 36, pages 56–65 (2017)Cite this article

Abstract

In this study, an ecological model was used to expand the current understanding of what contributes to college adjustment. Individual and environmental variables, and their relative contributions to college adjustment, were explored. This study also included the additional feature of the examination of environmental variables as possible mediators between the individual variables and college adjustment. The sample included 240 college freshmen at a large urban university. As predicted, both groups of variables accounted for significant proportions of variance in college adjustment. Further, the combination of both groups explained a greater proportion of variance than did either group alone. Maladaptive coping and perceived university environment were the most essential to college adjustment. Surprisingly, social support and gender were not essential for college adjustment. However, the environmental variables proved to be significant partial mediators between the individual variables and college adjustment. Finally, possible interventions and suggestions for future research are outlined.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Educational Psychology Department, 345 College of Education, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA

    Shoshana Katz & Cheryl L. Somers

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  1. Shoshana Katz
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  2. Cheryl L. Somers
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Correspondence to Cheryl L. Somers.

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Katz, S., Somers, C.L. Individual and Environmental Predictors of College Adjustment: Prevention and Intervention. Curr Psychol 36, 56–65 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-015-9384-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-015-9384-0

Keywords

  • College adjustment
  • Coping
  • Social support
  • University environment