Submission Date

4-29-2025

Document Type

Paper

Department

Psychology

Adviser

Terry Winegar

Committee Member

Brent Mattingly

Committee Member

Yvonne McCarthy

Department Chair

Jennifer Frymiare

Project Description

This study examines how a mixture of psychological, social, and developmental factors influences processes by which individuals develop their identities throughout college. It was hypothesized that these processes would be different for first-generation college students compared to non-first-generation college students, for transfer students compared to non-transfer students, and for commuter students compared to non-commuter, residential students. To measure this, an online survey was constructed using established measures of happiness, life satisfaction, personal growth, affective forecasting as well as other psychological, social and developmental measures (e.g. psychological- contingencies of self-worth, e.g. social- university belongingness, e.g. developmental- emerging adulthood). Data was collected from currently matriculating students at a residential liberal arts college in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Initial exploratory analyses examined differences in identity exploration by level of self-focus for first-generation college students compared to non-first-generation college students. Hypothesis analyses revealed differences in university belongingness and identification as a college student between commuter and residential students. Multiple regression analyses revealed predictors of happiness, life satisfaction, personal growth, and affective forecasting.

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