First-Year Students' Social Adjustment Process in Professional Higher Education: Key Experiences and Their Occurrence over Time

Autor/inn/en	Willems, J.; Coertjens, L.; Donche, V.
Titel	First-Year Students' Social Adjustment Process in Professional Higher Education: Key Experiences and Their Occurrence over Time
Quelle	In: European Journal of Psychology of Education, 37 (2022) 2, S.585-604 (20 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Willems, J.)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0256-2928
DOI	10.1007/s10212-021-00530-8
Schlagwörter	Student Adjustment; College Freshmen; Social Adjustment; Student Experience; Coping; Interpersonal Relationship; Peer Influence; Social Support Groups; Psychological Patterns; Foreign Countries; Belgium + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Student; Students; Adjustment; Schüler; Schülerin; Studentin; Adaptation; Studienanfänger; Soziale Anpassung; Studienerfahrung; Bewältigung; Interpersonal relation; Interpersonal relations; Interpersonelle Beziehung; Zwischenmenschliche Beziehung; Social support; Soziale Unterstützung; Ausland; Belgien
Abstract	The social adjustment process is a prominent factor in the literature on the transition to higher education (HE). This vast body of research, however, has predominantly focussed on academically oriented first-year higher education (FYHE) contexts, leaving professionally oriented programs (providing vocational education that prepares students for a particular occupation) rather underexamined. Therefore, this study set out to explore what first-year students in professional HE contexts perceive to be the most important social experiences associated with their adjustment process in the first semester of FYHE. Furthermore, this study examines the extent to which the uncovered key experiences associated with social adjustment are reported at different times. Hereto, drawing on the critical incidents technique, qualitative data were collected from 104 purposively selected freshmen, enrolled in a Flemish (Dutch-speaking part of Belgium) university college which offers professional HE programs, such as social work and nursing. At the start of the second semester of FYHE, these respondents completed 'reflective logs' wherein they reflected on three critical social experiences during their first semester in HE. Firstly, a qualitative content analysis revealed that students report on five overarching themes: (1) dealing with the unknown; (2) establishing a first connection; (3) establishing a deeper connection; (4) support from peers and others; and (5) loneliness. Secondly, a quantitative analysis of code occurrence suggests that these five uncovered themes seem to be more significant at different times in the first semester of FYHE. Implications of the findings for the development of guidance and coaching initiatives are discussed. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01