A Comparison of Educationally A Comparison of Educationally Advantaged and Disadvantaged Advantaged and Disadvantaged

College Students: Academic Goal College Students: Academic Goal Engagement and Psychological Well-Engagement and Psychological Well-

BeingBeing

Presented byPresented byDaniel K. ParkDaniel K. Park

Undergraduate Research Undergraduate Research SymposiumSymposium

University of California, IrvineUniversity of California, IrvineSaturday, May 14, 2005Saturday, May 14, 2005

Why is Education Important?Why is Education Important?

Education plays an Education plays an important role in the important role in the future plans of future plans of adolescents.adolescents.

Past research has shown Past research has shown that higher levels of that higher levels of education are associated education are associated with:with: Higher incomeHigher income Lower unemploymentLower unemployment General well-beingGeneral well-being

(Garb et al., 2002)(Garb et al., 2002)

Past ResearchPast Research

Research consistently Research consistently shows that educational shows that educational achievement is highly achievement is highly correlated with social correlated with social class (Ballantine, 2001).class (Ballantine, 2001).

Previous research has Previous research has found that mother’s and found that mother’s and father’s SES, education, father’s SES, education, and family background and family background influences one’s influences one’s educational and career educational and career attainment (e.g., attainment (e.g., Beeghley, 1996)Beeghley, 1996)

Why Look at Psychological Why Look at Psychological Well-Being?Well-Being?

Performing beyond normative Performing beyond normative expectations by outperforming their expectations by outperforming their parents educationally can lead to:parents educationally can lead to:

Fear of failureFear of failure Lack of parental guidanceLack of parental guidance

Vulnerability to more depressive Vulnerability to more depressive symptoms and less life satisfactionsymptoms and less life satisfaction

The Life-Span Theory of The Life-Span Theory of ControlControl

Addresses engagement with and disengagement Addresses engagement with and disengagement from life goals during the life course.from life goals during the life course.

Primary controlPrimary control: Behavior directed at : Behavior directed at producing effects in the environment and producing effects in the environment and “attempts to change the world to fit the needs “attempts to change the world to fit the needs and desires of the individual” (Heckhausen & and desires of the individual” (Heckhausen & Schulz, 1995)Schulz, 1995)

Secondary controlSecondary control: Addresses internal : Addresses internal processes related to one’s motivation and processes related to one’s motivation and emotion.emotion.

The Present StudyThe Present Study

This study examines college students with This study examines college students with parents from parents from highhigh vs. vs. lowlow educational educational backgrounds and students’ utilization of backgrounds and students’ utilization of control strategies control strategies psychological well-being psychological well-being (e.g., satisfaction with life, CES-D). (e.g., satisfaction with life, CES-D).

Parents with Parents with highhigh educational (HE) attainment = educational (HE) attainment =

Bachelor’s degree (B.A., B.S.) and beyondBachelor’s degree (B.A., B.S.) and beyond

Parents with Parents with lowlow educational (LE) attainment = educational (LE) attainment =

Associate’s degree (A.A., A.S.) or lessAssociate’s degree (A.A., A.S.) or less

Hypothesis OneHypothesis One

HH11: College students with parents : College students with parents from LE backgrounds will report from LE backgrounds will report higher scores of depression and be less higher scores of depression and be less satisfied with life in comparison to satisfied with life in comparison to students from HE backgrounds.students from HE backgrounds.

Hypothesis TwoHypothesis Two

HH22: College students with parents : College students with parents from LE backgrounds are more likely from LE backgrounds are more likely to use secondary control strategies in to use secondary control strategies in order to overcome disadvantage:order to overcome disadvantage:

Self-protectionSelf-protection Goal engagementGoal engagement Goal disengagementGoal disengagement

Hypothesis ThreeHypothesis Three

HH33: Use of control strategies (primary, : Use of control strategies (primary, secondary) make a greater difference secondary) make a greater difference for predicting psychological well-being for predicting psychological well-being in students from low educational in students from low educational backgrounds than for students from backgrounds than for students from high educational backgrounds.high educational backgrounds.

Research Methodology/DesignResearch Methodology/Design

Surveys were distributed in four Social Ecology Surveys were distributed in four Social Ecology courses during the first and second summer sessions courses during the first and second summer sessions in 2004.in 2004.

Participants were asked to complete a survey at home Participants were asked to complete a survey at home that consisted of the following:that consisted of the following:

Demographic section (including parents’ level of education)Demographic section (including parents’ level of education) Primary and secondary control strivings scale – General Primary and secondary control strivings scale – General

OPS scale (Heckhausen & Schulz, 1995)OPS scale (Heckhausen & Schulz, 1995) Academic OPS scale– OPS domain-specific academic Academic OPS scale– OPS domain-specific academic

achievement scale (Heckhausen, 2004)achievement scale (Heckhausen, 2004) Satisfaction with life scale (Diener et al., 1985)Satisfaction with life scale (Diener et al., 1985) CES-D 10-item version scale (Radloff, 1977)CES-D 10-item version scale (Radloff, 1977)

Parents’ Educational Parents’ Educational AttainmentAttainment

Parents' educational attainment

Parents with high educational

attainment64%

Parents with low educational attainment

36%

Parents with higheducational attainment

Parents with loweducational attainment

N=152

Participants by GenderParticipants by Gender

N=152N=152

51 M (33.6%), 101 F (66.4%)51 M (33.6%), 101 F (66.4%)

Gender

Female66%

Male34%

Female

Male

Participants by Race/EthnicityParticipants by Race/Ethnicity

N=152N=152

Participants by race/ethnicity

Asian American/Pacif

ic Islander51%

Caucasian17%

Chicano/Latino10%

African-American

2%

Other (multiracial)

20%

Asian American/PacificIslander

Caucasian

Chicano/Latino

African-American

Other (multiracial)

Operationalization of VariablesOperationalization of Variables Educationally advantaged vs. disadvantaged Educationally advantaged vs. disadvantaged

students (Independent variable)students (Independent variable):: Parents’ educational attainmentParents’ educational attainment::

Two-year college degree or less = Two-year college degree or less = lowlow educational educational attainment (LE)attainment (LE)

Four-year college degree and/or beyond = Four-year college degree and/or beyond = highhigh educational attainment (HE)educational attainment (HE)

Control strivings (Independent variable)Control strivings (Independent variable): : Primary and secondary control scales – General OPS Primary and secondary control scales – General OPS

scale (Heckhausen & Schulz, 1995)scale (Heckhausen & Schulz, 1995) Academic OPS scale (Heckhausen, 2004)Academic OPS scale (Heckhausen, 2004)

Psychological well-being (Dependent variable):Psychological well-being (Dependent variable): Satisfaction with life scale (Diener et al., 1985)Satisfaction with life scale (Diener et al., 1985) Center for Epidemiological Studies Short Depression Center for Epidemiological Studies Short Depression

scale (Ten-item version; Radloff, 1977)scale (Ten-item version; Radloff, 1977)

ResultsResults

HH1: 1: Psychological Well-Being Lower in LE Compared to HE

Students

t(146) = 2.046, p<.05

HH1: 1: Psychological Well-Being Lower in LE Compared to HE

Students (cont.)

HH2: 2: Secondary Control Strategies Higher in LE than

HE Students

HH3: 3: Parents’ Education and Use of Parents’ Education and Use of Control Strategies as Stronger Control Strategies as Stronger

Predictors of Psychological Well-Predictors of Psychological Well-Being for LE StudentsBeing for LE Students

No interactions were found.No interactions were found.

Hypothesis not confirmed.Hypothesis not confirmed.

Additional FindingsAdditional Findings

Predictors of Psychological Well-BeingPredictors of Psychological Well-Being:: Utilization of primary control strategies Utilization of primary control strategies

is associated with greater life is associated with greater life satisfaction.satisfaction.

Secondary control strategy of goal Secondary control strategy of goal disengagement is associated with disengagement is associated with greater life satisfaction.greater life satisfaction.

Main FindingsMain Findings

College students with parents from LE College students with parents from LE backgrounds report more depressive symptoms, backgrounds report more depressive symptoms, but are not more likely to be less satisfied with but are not more likely to be less satisfied with life in comparison to those from HE backgrounds.life in comparison to those from HE backgrounds.

Students from LE backgrounds utilize the Students from LE backgrounds utilize the secondary control strategy of goal secondary control strategy of goal disengagement less than those from HE disengagement less than those from HE backgrounds.backgrounds.

Use of primary and secondary control strategies Use of primary and secondary control strategies didn’t make a greater difference for predicting didn’t make a greater difference for predicting LE students’ psychological well-being.LE students’ psychological well-being.

DiscussionDiscussion

Implications of findings for educationally Implications of findings for educationally advantaged and disadvantaged college advantaged and disadvantaged college students:students:

Do depressive symptoms of LE students Do depressive symptoms of LE students persist throughout time?persist throughout time?

HE students more aware of their limitationsHE students more aware of their limitations LE students more persistent about attaining LE students more persistent about attaining

goalsgoals

Perception of impossible goals is Perception of impossible goals is subjective.subjective.

Future Directions for ResearchFuture Directions for Research

Future research should consider the Future research should consider the following:following:

Longitudinal researchLongitudinal research To examine other disadvantaged college To examine other disadvantaged college

students:students: Transfer studentsTransfer students Low-income studentsLow-income students First-generation college studentsFirst-generation college students Nontraditional students (e.g., older Nontraditional students (e.g., older

students who return to earn their college students who return to earn their college degrees).degrees).

AcknowledgmentsAcknowledgments

Professor Jutta Heckhausen, Ph.D.Professor Jutta Heckhausen, Ph.D. Professor Valerie Jenness, Ph.D.Professor Valerie Jenness, Ph.D.

Esther S. Chang, Laura Gil-Trejo, Esther S. Chang, Laura Gil-Trejo, and Sarah Roper-Colemanand Sarah Roper-Coleman

Undergraduate Research Undergraduate Research Opportunities ProgramOpportunities Program

School of Social Ecology’s Honors School of Social Ecology’s Honors ProgramProgram

PSB’s Excellence in Research PSB’s Excellence in Research ProgramProgram

Study participants, Summer Study participants, Summer Session instructors in Social Session instructors in Social EcologyEcology

Contact Information:Contact Information:

Daniel K. ParkDaniel K. Park

Department of Psychology and Social Department of Psychology and Social BehaviorBehavior

School of Social EcologySchool of Social Ecology

University of California, IrvineUniversity of California, Irvine

danielkp@uci.edudanielkp@uci.edu