Reports on a study that investigates whether the quality of interactions between students and faculty have an influence on students' academic motivation and academic self-concept. Results reveal that students who had more positive perceptions of faculty encouragement had higher academic self-concept scores and academic motivation scores than…

Through 2 related studies, we investigated the relation between ethnic identity, epistemological development, and achievement among students of color. Findings suggest that the three variables are related, with ethnic identity and epistemological development together contributing to explaining variance in college GPA almost as well as a…

Analyzes strategies that successful minority students employ to overcome barriers to academic success. Uses an expertise model of successful college students on one campus so as to identify specific knowledge and actions that effective minority students employ. Describes various barriers students face and describes implications. (RJM)

Describes the multiple dimensions of identity development and difference among 10 diverse women college students. Data analysis using grounded theory methodology yielded 10 key categories and a core category, which described contextual influences on the construction of identity. Findings reveal the deep complexities of identity development when…

This study compared the levels of student engagement between fraternity and sorority members and other undergraduate students. After controls, Greek members appeared to be equally and sometimes more engaged in academically challenging tasks, active learning, student-faculty interaction, community service, diversity, satisfaction, and on learning…

Measures of social support, personality, and workload were related to psychological burnout among 149 college students. High levels of burnout were predicted by negative temperament and subjective workload, but actual workload (academic and vocational) had little to do with burnout. Low levels of burnout were predicted by positive temperament,…

Examines the effects of interactional diversity experiences on a range of desirable outcomes for White students and students of color in different types of higher education institutions. Though White students had less contact with students from different backgrounds, such experiences positively affected the self-reported gains for both Whites and…

Describes process used in constructing Student Developmental Task and Lifestyle Inventory (SDTLI), instrument designed to measure certain aspects of Chickering's theory of psychosocial development of traditional-age college students. Summarizes reliability and validity studies. Discusses use of SDTLI. (NB)

Examines the relationships between student characteristics, student use of computers and other information technologies (C&IT), the amount of effort devoted to college activities, and self-reported gains in a range of college outcomes. Results reveal that students appear to benefit more from C&IT when used frequently and in a variety of…

Examines the influence of student-faculty interactions on the academic achievement of 836 Latina/o college students. Students' grades were regressed onto college and student variables, and a variety of student-faculty interactions. Results reveal that academically related and personal interactions with faculty, as well as the perceived quality of…

Explores the relationship between resident assistant (R.A.) training and improvement of job performance. Results indicate that while even short-term interventions can bring about favorable outcomes in R.A.s' behavior on the job, these benefits may be limited to the promotion of sound work practices, as opposed to the elimination of problematic…

Proposes that student affairs practitioners need to rethink some of the key assumptions of their leadership development models and practices in order to meet the needs of a changing student body. Study results illustrate that different strategies are necessary for the development of leadership among a diverse group of students. (Contains 36…

Examines relationships with parents and personality as predictors of university adjustment among 419 first-year college students. Results reveal that relationships with parents predicted 8% to 35% of the variance in the dependent measures; personality factors increased the percentage of explained variance to 20% to 56%. Practical applications are…

Introduces the College Student Social Support Scale (CSSSS) and presents initial psychometric data. Six-hundred and seven college students ranging in age from 18 to 31, across three studies, participated in the development and validation of this new self-report measure. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses suggest that the CSSSS is a…

This study included 372 Hispanic college students from four institutions. The results of the study verify the Bicultural Orientation Model as a tool for identifying Hispanic college students' cultural orientation. The four cultural orientation quadrants are Bicultural Orientation, Anglo Orientation, Hispanic Orientation, and Marginal Orientation.…