First-year students' adjustment at Vilnius University in Lithuania : the role of self-orientation, locus of control, social support and demographic variables : disertacija

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Demografija; Demografinis; Kontrolės lokusas; Vilniaus universitetas (VU; Vilnius University); Orientacija į save; Prisitaikymas; Socialinė parama; Studentai pirmakursiai; Education; Adjustment; Demographic; First-year students Lithuania; Locus of control; Self-orientation; Social support; Vilnius University.

ENThe purpose of this study was to examine student adjustment at Vilnius University in Lithuania. Since breaking away from the Soviet Union, Lithuania has been a country undergoing profound transformation. This study sought to examine student adjustment 10 years later, in the year 2000. Of particular interest was the premise that an underlying feature of the regional changes has been movement from collectivism to individualism. This study examined the implications of the changes for student adjustment by assessing individualism and collectivism at the personality level, in terms of idiocentrism and allocentrism. This study also considered the role of internal and external locus of control and perceived and utilized social support in relation to self-orientation and adjustment (perceived wellness, anxiety, depression, psychological, physical health, grades). There were 673 students who agreed to participate of more than 1000 invited. These students completed ten measures. Prior to the administration of the main study, measures were translated, back-translated and modified for use with Lithuanian participants. Three pilot studies were conducted in the process of adaptation. Eighteen demographic variables were examined. Students were also given open-ended questionnaires. Data were analyzed using both quantitative (descriptive and inferential statistics) and qualitative methods.The results indicated that for perceived wellness, the mean for Vilnius University students fell very slightly above the normal range found for college student populations in the United States. State and trait anxiety and depression fell within the normal range. Good adjustment was related to an internal locus of control, idiocentric selforientation and perceived social support. An internal locus of control was the best predictor of adjustment. Students' idiocentric self-orientation was moderately correlated with an internal locus of control, whereas allocentric self-orientation was modestly correlated with an external locus of control. An allocentric self-orientation was correlated with perceived and utilized social support. Based on the demographic questionnaires, about a third of students reported significant financial problems and difficult living arrangements, both of which were related to poor adjustment. Based on the quantitative and qualitative analyses, profiles were presented for well adjusted and more poorly adjusted students. Limitations, recommendations and suggestions for future directions were provided. [From the publication]

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