Interpersonal Factors Related to the Pursuit of a Higher Education Among First Generation Undergraduate Students

• Main Author: Aguirre, Jacqueline S.
• Other Authors: Jenkins, Sharon Rae
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: University of North Texas 2012
• Subjects: Academics; undergraduates; first generation
• Online Access: https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc149558/

The typical educational stressors experienced by college students, in conjunction with developmental stressors such as separation from parents, individuation, and perceived social support, can interact to impact adaptation significantly. First generation college students (students who are the first in their family to attend college) can experience stressors beyond the typical educational stressors experienced by later generation college students, including lack of support from family and peers as well as financial difficulties that can interact to impact the pursuit of an education beyond the undergraduate level. The present study examined factors that may be especially influential in the pursuit of a higher education for first generation college students. Results indicated that aspects of family enmeshment were related to academic motivation for first generation students, but not for later generation students. Exploratory analysis showed that family and finances were mentioned more often among first generation students when compared to later generation students as stressors that strongly influence the desire to continue beyond the undergraduate level.