Research Article
Perceived Social Support and University Adjustment among Spanish College Students
Zeltia Martinez-Lopez, Carolina Tinajero , M. Soledad Rodriguez, M. Fernanda Paramo
Martinez-Lopez Z, Tinajero C, Rodriguez MS, Paramo MF. Perceived social support and university adjustment among spanish college students. European J Psychol E. 2019;2(1):21-30. doi: 10.12973/ejper.2.1.21
Martinez-Lopez, Z., Tinajero, C., Rodriguez, M. S., & Paramo, M. F. (2019). Perceived social support and university adjustment among spanish college students. European Journal of Psychology and Educational Research, 2(1), 21-30. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejper.2.1.21
Martinez-Lopez Zeltia, Carolina Tinajero, M. Soledad Rodriguez, and M. Fernanda Paramo. "Perceived Social Support and University Adjustment among Spanish College Students," European Journal of Psychology and Educational Research 2, no. 1 (2019): 21-30. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejper.2.1.21
Martinez-Lopez, Z Tinajero, C Rodriguez, MS & Paramo, M 2019, 'Perceived social support and university adjustment among spanish college students', European Journal of Psychology and Educational Research, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 21-30. Martinez-Lopez, Zeltia et al. "Perceived Social Support and University Adjustment among Spanish College Students." European Journal of Psychology and Educational Research, vol. 2, no. 1, 2019, pp. 21-30, https://doi.org/10.12973/ejper.2.1.21.
Abstract
Previous studies have confirmed that perceived social support facilitates university adjustment during emerging adulthood. Less is known, however, about the specific dimensions of social support that foster successful transition to university. This research represents the first attempt to examine the combined effects of social provisions, sense of support and perceived acceptance on each facet of adaptation to higher education. The sample consisted of 198 women and 102 men, of average age 18.03 years (SD = 0.52), enrolled in the first year of different degree courses at a public university. Three measures were used to assess various dimensions of perceived social support: the Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ6), the Perceived Acceptance Scale (PAS) and Social Provisions Scale (SPS). The measures of the various facets of university adjustment were obtained from the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ). Regression analysis indicated that reassurance of worth and perceived acceptance by friends were the dimensions that best predicted all facets of university adjustment. The findings provide a more comprehensive understanding of how perception of social support could be used to develop effective intervention strategies and programmes to prevent failure at university.
Keywords: Emerging adulthood, first-year students, perceived social support, transition to university, university adjustment.
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