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The transition to university : adaptation and adjustment

dc.contributor.advisorMcDougall, Patriciaen_US
dc.contributor.committeeMemberMacGregor, Michael Wm.en_US
dc.contributor.committeeMemberLawson, Karen L.en_US
dc.contributor.committeeMemberKowalski, Kenten_US
dc.creatorSmith, Melanie Len_US
dc.date.accessioned2008-03-31T15:12:33Zen_US
dc.date.accessioned2013-01-04T04:27:48Z
dc.date.available2009-04-09T08:00:00Zen_US
dc.date.available2013-01-04T04:27:48Z
dc.date.created2008en_US
dc.date.issued2008en_US
dc.date.submitted2008en_US
dc.description.abstractBeginning university can be conceptualized as a stressful life event as both positive aspects and several new challenges are associated with the transition (Hudd, Dumlao, Erdmann-Sager, Murry, Phan et al., 2000; Kerr, Johnson, Gans, Krumrine, 2004; Lamothe, Currie, Alisat, Sullivan, Pratt et al., 1995). Sometimes a poor transition may result in a student’s inability to complete their degree. It is important to develop a more thorough understanding of the transition to university in order to improve student retention. The present investigation considered a range of demographic, psychosocial, and health behaviours that may be related to a student’s ability to adapt to university. These variables were investigated using a short-term longitudinal design over the first year of university. Participants (Time 1 N = 229, Time 2 N = 73) consisted of first year University of Saskatchewan students (age, M = 18.46, SD =1). Results suggested that approximately 1/3 of the students found the transition to university to be difficult and that in general women had a more difficult time than men in terms of social and personal/emotional adjustment. There was no significant difference in academic adjustment or achievement between men and women. Psychosocial variables and health behaviours were related to one another such that greater physical activity levels went hand in hand with more adaptive coping and higher levels of social support and self-esteem. During the first semester, easier transitions and better adjustment were largely predicted by more adaptive coping, good social support, better grades and fewer daily hassles. For women, second semester transition experiences and adjustment measures were strongly predicted by the same measures as observed in the first semester.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10388/etd-03312008-151233en_US
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.subjectuniversity studentsen_US
dc.subjectschool transitionen_US
dc.subjectadjustmenten_US
dc.titleThe transition to university : adaptation and adjustmenten_US
dc.type.genreThesisen_US
dc.type.materialtexten_US
thesis.degree.departmentPsychologyen_US
thesis.degree.disciplinePsychologyen_US
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Saskatchewanen_US
thesis.degree.levelMastersen_US
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Arts (M.A.)en_US

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