Journal of college counseling 

About: Journal of college counseling is an academic journal. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Mental health & Higher education. It has an ISSN identifier of 1099-0399. Over the lifetime, 460 publications have been published receiving 10626 citations.

Further Psychometric Support for the 10‐Item Version of the Perceived Stress Scale

Abstract: Because of increased stress conditions in college students, updated psychometrics of the Perceived Stress Scale, 10-item version (PSS-10; S. Cohen & G. Williamson, 1988) are necessary. Participants were 281 undergraduates at 3 public universities. An exploratory factor analysis revealed a 2-factor structure measuring Perceived Helplessness and Perceived Self-Efficacy. Normative results, internal consistencies, and construct validity were supported. The current findings reveal that the PSS-10 is a reliable and valid instrument for assessment of perceived stress in college students.

Social support and demographic correlates of acculturative stress in international students

Abstract: A sample of 141 international students from different U.S. colleges completed surveys related to social support, demographic variables, and acculturative stress. Findings indicated that social support and English proficiency uniquely contribute to the variance in students' acculturative stress. Results also indicated that students who primarily socialized with non-Americans and that students from Asian countries experienced more acculturative stress compared with other subgroups, implications are discussed and suggestions for counseling practice are provided. ********** The United States hosts approximately half of the world's total number of international students. Presently, students representing roughly 170 foreign countries are enrolled in American institutions of higher education. Estimates place international student enrollment in U.S. colleges and universities at around half a million (Zikopoulos, 1993), and this number is expected to increase consistently as U.S. colleges and universities strive to achieve their visions of diversity across a broad range of demographic and cultural dimensions (Hayes & Lin, 1994; Pedersen, 1991). This phenomenon has generated a number of research studies aimed at understanding the experiences of this population. Over the course of their studies, most international students encounter adjustment issues that include acculturative stress. Despite the substantial body of literature that addresses adjustment processes among international students, only a small portion of this literature has, in fact, addressed the issue of acculturative stress. Within this literature, the only variables that have emerged as consistent predictors of international student adjustment are English language proficiency and access to social support. Predictors such as age, gender, ethnicity, and other demographic variables have received only partial or mixed support. Therefore, the purpose of this study was (a) to examine the association of demographic variables with acculturative stress levels to better understand their possible importance, (b) to examine the way in which English language ability and social support may interact to better predict acculturative stress, and (c) to understand the differential influence ethnicity (European vs. Asian) may exert on students' levels of acculturative stress. Acculturation Processes and Outcomes Acculturation is defined as a process of cultural change that results from repeated, direct contact between two distinct cultural groups (Berry, Kim, Minde, & Mok, 1987). A possible result accompanying the process of acculturation is the manifestation of acculturative stress. Acculturative stress is defined as a marked deterioration of the general health status of an individual; it encompasses physiological, psychological, and social aspects that are explicitly linked to the acculturation process. The degree of acculturative stress experienced by an individual can range from mild stress, which gradually improves as the individual adapts, to a debilitating stress that worsens over time (Berry et al., 1987; Williams & Berry, 1991). Most notably, individuals experiencing acculturative stress typically display symptoms of anxiety and depression, which may increase if the individual lacks an effective social support system (Hovey & Magana, 2002). Acculturative Stress and International College Students Although acculturative stress is typically most severe among refugee immigrants, it is surprising that the acculturative stress levels experienced by student sojourners can approach that of refugees (Berry & Kim, 1988). International students are likely to have limited personal resources when they enter the host country and, as a result, are likely to experience considerably greater difficulty acculturating than established ethnic groups (Berry, 1980; Berry & Kim, 1988; Hayes & Lin, 1994; Sykes & Eden, 1985). …

Self-Efficacy of First-Generation and Non-First-Generation College Students: The Relationship With Academic Performance and College Adjustment

Abstract: The authors examined whether self-efficacy mediated the relationship between generational status and 2 academic outcome indicators of 192 college students. A mediation effect was not found with either academic performance or college adjustment. However, high self-efficacy at the beginning of the year predicted better college adjustment at the end of the 1st year. For college students in general, high self-efficacy was related to better college adjustment. Recommendations for counselors are discussed.

Professional Issues: Common Stressors Among International College Students: Research and Counseling Implications

Abstract: International college students studying in North America endure substantial psychological stress in their daily lives. The nature and function of stressors in the context of international college students' subjective appraisal are discussed and analyzed using Lazarus and Folkman's (1984) concept of stress. Recommendations for future research are outlined, and counseling implications are provided.

First-Generation Students' Sense of Belonging, Mental Health, and Use of Counseling Services at Public Research Universities

Abstract: For most college students, the journey toward degree attainment is typically filled with a combination of challenges and successes; however, the educational pathway to a college degree can be more arduous for some students, including first-generation students. Our study explored the experiences of first-generation college students who attend large public research universities. More specifically, how do first-generation students experience a sense of belonging and satisfaction in regard to their educational experience? What might be the relationship between first-generation students' sense of belonging on campus and their mental health? And what is the role of college counselors in helping first-generation students to persist toward graduation? The number of first-generation students on college campuses continues to increase (Engle & Tinto, 2008; Jehangir, 2010a). According to Pryor et al. (2010), approximately 20.6% of entering 1st-year students currently self-identify as first-generation students, totaling more than 4.5 million first-generation students enrolled in higher education institutions. Demographics seem to indicate that first-generation students and other historically underserved student populations (e.g., immigrant groups, low-income students, students of color) will look to higher education opportunities to improve their financial situation (Conway, 2010). College success, especially attainment of the baccalaureate degree, serves as the primary means for first-generation and underserved populations to improve their socioeconomic status (Suarez-Orozco, Suarez-Orozco, & Todorova, 2008). A postsecondary education is increasingly necessary in today's society; the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as described by Rothkopf (2009), predicted that 63% of the 18.9 million new jobs that will be created by 2014 will require some postsecondary education. It is important to define and describe first-generation students because there are multiple definitions in the higher education literature. For the purpose of this article, first-generation status is defined as neither parent having earned a bachelor's degree; this is also the definition used by the federal TRiO grant programs. In our study, college students were considered first-generation even if their parents had some postsecondary education and/or an associate's degree. On the basis of data from the U.S. Department of Education and National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (2003-2004; National Center for Education Statistics, 2007), there are certain characteristics that compose a profile of first-generation students. First-generation students are more likely than their non-first-generation counterparts to have additional characteristics that may disadvantage them as they pursue their college education. For example, first-generation students are more likely to be older, come from minority backgrounds, and have a disability (Bui, 2002). Additionally, first-generation students are more likely to be nonnative English speakers, immigrants (i.e., have been born outside of the United States), single parents, and financially independent from their parents (Bui, 2002). Additionally, as described by Engle and Tinto (2008), first-generation students tend to hold low-income status, which is defined as having a combined household income under $25,000 per year. First-generation students are also more likely than non-first-generation students to have delayed entry into postsecondary education after high school, live off campus, attend college closer to home, attend part time (i.e., not taking a full load of credits), and work full time during enrollment in college. Often, first-generation students are nontraditional, female adult students (over the age of 24) who are returning to college to start or finish a degree program. Although institutions of higher education have generally done a better job of promoting college access to first-generation students, college success as measured by persistence and graduation rates (i. …