ERIC Number: EJ785011
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007-Nov
Pages: 37
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0361-0365
EISSN: N/A
Sense of Belonging as a Predictor of Intentions to Persist among African American and White First-Year College Students
Hausmann, Leslie R. M.; Schofield, Janet Ward; Woods, Rochelle L.
Research in Higher Education, v48 n7 p803-839 Nov 2007
This study investigates the role of students' sense of belonging to their university in college student retention. Using individual growth curve modeling, we examined (a) whether sense of belonging predicts intentions to persist, and (b) the effects of an intervention designed to enhance students' sense of belonging. African American and white first-year students completed surveys three times throughout the academic year. Students were randomly assigned to a group that received an intervention to enhance students' sense of belonging or to one of two control groups. Sense of belonging was found to predict intentions to persist, controlling for background variables and other predictors of persistence. Overall, sense of belonging and intentions to persist declined over the academic year. However, the decline in sense of belonging was smaller for students in the intervention group. Implications for the development of college retention programs and for existing models of student persistence are discussed.
Descriptors: Control Groups, Intervention, Academic Persistence, School Holding Power, College Freshmen, African Americans, Whites, Surveys, Student Adjustment
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A