| Summary: | The aim of orientation programs at tertiary academic institutions is to introduce newcomers
to the attitudinal and behavioral standards of their new academic and social situation, and
these programs usually have a formal and an informal component. Formal orientation is
officially developed and monitored by the university. Informal orientation is associated with
socially orientated initiation or hazing activities administered by senior students in the
seclusion of hostels and are often not monitored by the university, resulting in human rights
violations such as racial discrimination, physical abuse and psychological bullying. Because
both components of orientation take place during the same time frame and in the same
broader context, orientation programs as a whole have been receiving negative attention and
criticism in the media. Research has, however, also uncovered many positive elements in
orientation programs - in both the formal and informal components. Literature suggests that
universities put in place a high quality formal and informal orientation program to ensure the
well–being of first–year students.
Well–being is regarded as the subjective appraisals that people make about the quality of their
lives based on their experiences, relationships, feelings and overall functioning in life. Two
approaches towards subjective well–being are identified: the first is the hedonic approach,
focusing on emotional well–being (EWB) and is equated to positive feelings, subjective
happiness and satisfaction with life; the second is the eudaimonic approach, focusing on psychological well–being (PWB) and social well–being (SWB) which not only conceptualizes
well–being in terms of meaning and purpose, but also as positive functioning in life on
personal and social levels. The aim of this study was to determine the shifts in well–being of
first–year students during an orientation program (with both the formal and informal
components included) at a tertiary institution and to explore the experiences associated with
these shifts.
A sequential mixed method research design was used where quantitative and qualitative
research approaches were combined to provide an in–depth understanding of the
phenomenon. A convenience sample of first–year hostel residing students (mean age=19
years) was used for the quantitative study. Students completed the Mental Health Continuum
Short Form (MHC–SF) and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) before (n=102), during
(n=371) and after (n=358) the orientation program. Twenty–one demographically
representative first–year hostel residing students (mean age=18.5 years) were purposive
selected to participate in the qualitative study consisting of a focus group discussion and
semi–structured in–depth individual interviews which took place after the programs’
completion.
The quantitative results indicated that first–year students’ well–being remained unchanged
before, during and after orientation in all facets except in SWB. First–year students’ SWB
increased practically significantly over the course of the orientation program. The qualitative
findings suggested that first–year students’ well–being fluctuated from high before the
orientation program to low during the program’s initial phase to high again after the
program’s completion. Experiences associated with SWB were perceived to be the central
experience associated with an increase in well–being. Recommendations are made regarding the promotion of the social and personal well–being of first–year students during an
orientation program. === Thesis (M.A. (Clinical Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.
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