Parent Support and Stress among First-Generation and Continuing-Generation Female Students during the Transition to College

Abstract

This study compares first-generation and continuing-generation female college students in terms of: (a) level of parents' emotional and informational support; (b) level of students' stress; and (c) the relationship between both types of parent support and students' stress during the transition to college. We collected survey data from an ethnically diverse sample of 339 young women about to enter college. Results indicate first-generation students perceive less emotional and informational parent support than do continuing-generation students. First-generation students who perceive higher levels of parent emotional support have less stress than those who do not. However, neither type of parent support significantly predicted stress levels for continuing-generation students.

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