A Model for Investigating the Relationship of Student Life

Programs, Student GPA, Retention, & Health Status

Craig Becker, Ph.D. Marilyn Sheerer,Ph.D., Sue Martin, MPA

East Carolina University

Overview✦ Why are research and assessment essential in

student affairs?

✦ What relationships are important to investigate?

✦ What multiple methods can be utilized?

✦ What are the expected outcomes of the research?

✦ How can we use the findings?

Big Issue✦ Do Student Life Programs improve

student performance in college?✦ The informal answer - YES!✦ But do we have sufficient data?✦ Is it convincing?

Existing Research✦ Pascarella & Terenzini: “How College Affects Students- 3rd

ed.”

✦ Findings - college has effects:✦Psychosocial changes - become more independent✦Attitudes and values develop and form for life✦ Advanced moral reasoning skills are developed

✦ Environments influence educational attainment✦ Friendships, support services, caring environment good✦Involvement in college sponsored programs good

✦ Our model is designed to expand this research✦Specifically - How do Student Life Programs Affect Students?

Keep It Simple✦ Question: Do students involved with

student life programs do better in college than students not involved?

✦ When do measures matter? ✦ When are they useful?✦ How do we know?✦ What measures indicate

performance?

My Work✦ I work with Health Education &

Promotion✦ Today dominant theory - Pathology

✦ Study of disease✦ My research - Causes of Health -

Salutogenics✦ Study of health

Why use salutogenesis?Why use salutogenesis?

If not bad, are you good?If not poor, are you rich?

If not hopeless, are you hopeful?If not dissatisfied, are you satisfied?

If not ill, do you have health/wellness?If you don’t flunk out, are you a good

student?

We have done well, but.....We can do better with more information!

Salutogenesis vs. Salutogenesis vs. PathogenesisPathogenesis

Existing Model - Pathogenesis studies origins of diseaseSalutogenesis studies the origins of HealthPathogenesis Basics• What causes diseases?• About Avoiding Problems• Disease/Illness an anomaly• Reactive - Absence Disease• Optimistic - Treat Disease• Against pain or Loss• Prepares one to live

Salutogenesis Basics• What causes Health?• About Approaching

Potential• Inherently flawed,

entropy• Proactive - Presence

Health• Pessimistic - Go Get

Health• For Gain or Growth• Discover how to live fully

AND

Like Mother Theresa’s Empowering Philosophy

InjuryAccidents

Dirt Bacteria

Pollution

Toxins

Diseases

Risks

Pathology Objectives

LaughterEndorphins

Fun Enthusiasm

Excitement

Happiness

Joy

Salutogenic Objectives

Hope

Adapt Salutogenic Model

✦ What are student life programs purposes?✦ To Add quality to college experience

✦ Apply model to study Student Life Programs✦ What are gains to students from Student Life?

✦ Need new Research Model✦ Can use Salutogenics to discover gains...

✦ Meliorgenesis - origins of improvement, to make better

✦ If students don’t drop out - do they do well?✦ Seek factors related to positive college experience

Salutogenics to Student Life

New Outlook•What causes good performance?

•Factors related to achievement

•Proactive - Help Students Excel

•Difficulties expected•For Performance•Helps students Thrive at School

Traditional• What causes college failure?• Factors Related to Problems• Reactive - Treat problems• Good performance expected• Against Problems• Help students Survive college

Student Life Goals

Like Mother Theresa’s Empowering Philosophy

and

InjuryAccidents

Poor Work DropOutAttrition

Crime

Abuse

Risks

Traditional Research Objectives

EmploymentHealth Status

Fun

Enthusiasm

Engagement

RetentionPersistence

New Outlook

GPA

Proposed Research ✦ Assess student Involvement✦ Gather a representative Sample✦ Compare involvement with GPA,

Health Status✦ Follow to determine Persistence,

Employment...✦ Compare those involved with those not

involved✦ Look at Different Groups - On/Off

Campus, year in school, gender, etc.

Research Question✦ Is student involvement with student life

programs related to student performance and health status?

✦ Dependent Variables:✦ Student Performance Measures:

✦ GPA; Retention; Persistence; Employment✦ Health Status Measures:

✦ Health Status; Treated Illnesses; BMI✦ Interventions: Independent Variables

✦ Program involvement in areas:✦ Physical, Social, Emotional, Spiritual,

Intellectual, Vocational, Environmental

Research Model✦ Outcome Measures: Dependent

Variables:✦ Retention, Persistence✦ GPA✦ Health Status✦ Future Employment

✦ Interventions: Independent Variables✦ Programs in areas:

✦ Physical, Social, Emotional, Spiritual, Intellectual, Vocational, Environmental

Data Collection✦ Random Representative campus group

✦ Pull from complete list of students (N=500)✦ Contact via Email - online questionnaire

✦ Collect data online✦ Data confirmation through records✦ Must be Confidential Assessment

✦ Assessment of Personal Behaviors✦ Salutogenic Wellness Promotion Scale (SWPS)✦ Assessment of engagement in areas on campus

✦ Use Questionnaires for data collection

Assess How often Involved

✦ Physical: I exercise at the SRC?✦ SWPS: I incorporate physical activity into my day.

✦ Emotional: I visit counseling center for advice.✦ SWPS: I treat difficult situations as possible

opportunities.✦ Spiritual: I participate with my preferred campus spiritual center.

✦ SWPS: I consult higher powers for answers.✦ Vocational: I visit the Career Center for career guidance and programs.

✦ SWPS: My schoolwork is important.✦ Social: I am involved in campus social activities.

✦ SWPS: I have pleasant interactions with family/friends.✦ Environmental: I use campus recycling opportunities.

✦ SWPS: I recycle.✦ Intellectual: I do work for my classes.

✦ SWPS: I work at improving my verbal skills/vocabulary.

Answer by Involvement: Daily, Few Times a Week, Weekly, Bi-Weekly, Monthly, Few Times/semester, Never

Assess Impact After Graduation✦ Assess post graduation to compare

✦ What is involvement with community✦ Employment search and status✦ Retrospective College perception

✦ Research Questions✦ Do college activities set habits for life?✦ Does it relate to job acquisition and skills?✦ Student Life activities related to later

involvement?

Limitations✦ Model can not determine Cause &

Effect✦ Can be university/context specific✦ Self Report Bias✦ Concerns about attrition/Sample

Size

Why do this Research?Expand Student Performance Expand Student Performance

DataData

KNOWLEDGEABOUT STUDENT

PERORMANCE

AddFactors related

toGood

Performance

Information Expansion

✦ Expected Outcomes✦ Information about relationships

✦ Student Involvement and Outcomes✦ Is student life related to performance?✦ Are appropriate programs offered?✦ Are Student Life programs managed

appropriately?