Impact of social support and resilience on adaptation to university

Authors

  • Jóni Ledo Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Departamento de Educação e Psicologia, Vila Real, Portugal https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1065-0184
  • Português Português Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Escola Superior de Saúde, Vila Real, Portugal https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1678-0892

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31211/rpics.2024.10.2.348

Keywords:

Adaptation, University, Resilience, Perceived social support, Descriptive survey study

Abstract

Background: The transition from high school to university generates new challenges, which are not always easy to manage. In this context, factors such as resilience and perceived social support can facilitate this process. Objective: To analyze the relationship between perceived social support and resilience in the adaptation to university. Method:  A total of 207 university students participated in the study, 154 of whom were female, aged between 17 and 39 (M = 19.63, SD = 3.53). Data were collected using the Adaptation to University Questionnaire, the Social Support Appraisal Scale, and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. Results: Perceived social support and resilience were positively correlated with students' successful adaptation to university. Resilience showed a significant positive correlation with three dimensions of adaptation: Social Adaptation, Academic Adaptation, and Career Development. All dimensions of perceived social support were positively correlated with adaptation to university. Linear regression analysis showed that friends' and professors' perceived social support predicted better university adaptation. Conclusions: Resilience and perceived social support are relevant for successfully adapting students to university, with support from professors and friends being particularly significant in this process. Further research is essential to identify the most effective psychosocial interventions to support students during this transition period.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Antunes, C., & Fontaine, A. M. (1995). Diferenças na percepção do apoio social na adolescência: adaptação de uma escala, o Social Support Appraisals (SSA) de Vaux et al. (1980). Psychologica, 14, 27–41. https://bit.ly/499jr1E

Araújo, A. M., Almeida, L. S., Ferreira, J. A., Santos, A. A., Noronha, A. P., & Zanon, C. (2014). Questionário de Adaptação ao Ensino Superior (QAES): Construção e validação de um novo questionário. Psicologia, Educação e Cultura, 18(1), 131–145. https://bit.ly/3ZcztD8

Carlotto, R. C., Teixeira, M. A. P., & Dias, A. C. G. (2015). Adaptação acadêmica e coping em estudantes universitários. Psico-USF, 20(3), 421–432. https://doi.org/m6wv

Connor, K. M., & Davidson, J. R. (2003). Development of a new resilience scale: The Connor‐Davidson Resilience Scale (CD‐RISC). Depression and Anxiety, 18(2), 76–82. https://doi.org/ffwnjs

Dawson, M., & Pooley, J. A. (2013). Resilience: The role of optimism, perceived parental autonomy support and perceived social support in first year university students. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 1(2) 38–49. https://doi.org/gmttzf

Faria, J., Heitor, M., Ribeiro, M., & Moreira, S. (2019). Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale: Validation study in a Portuguese sample. BMJ Open, 9(6), 1–9. https://doi.org/m6wx

Fullerton, D. J., Zhang, L. M., & Kleitman, S. (2021). An integrative process model of resilience in an academic context: Resilience resources, coping strategies, and positive adaptation. Plos One, 16(2), Artigo e0246000. https://doi.org/ktkg

General Assembly of the World Medical Association. (2014). World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki: Ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects. https://bit.ly/3B2sCnN

Gouveia, P., Leal, I., Cardoso, J., & Nunes, A. C. (2015). Contributos para a adaptação e aferição de duas medidas de suporte social. Psicologia, Saúde & Doenças, 16(3), 386–391. https://bit.ly/4i1aRWC

Kotzé, M., & Kleynhans, R. (2013). Psychological well-being and resilience as predictors of first-year students' academic performance. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 23(1), 51–59. https://doi.org/gfvp56

Mayordomo, T., Viguer, P., Sales, A., Satorres, E., & Meléndez, J. C. (2021). Resilience and coping as predictors of well-being in adults. The Journal of Psychology, 150(7), 809–821. https://doi.org/gdnb7v

Rahat, E., & İlhan, T. (2016). Coping styles, social support, relational self-construal, and resilience in predicting students' adjustment to university life. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 16(1), 187–208. https://doi.org/gn2h3r

Rutter, M. (1993). Resilience: Some conceptual considerations. Journal of Adolescent Health, 14(8), 626–631. https://doi.org/d65hqx

Rutter, M. (1999). Resilience concepts and findings: Implications for family therapy. Journal of Family Therapy, 21(2), 119–144. https://doi.org/ctw9cm

Seeds, P. M., Harkness, K. L., & Quilty, L. C. (2010). Parental maltreatment, bullying, and adolescent depression: Evidence for the mediating role of perceived social support. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 39(5), 681–692. https://doi.org/dzmbct

Sojer, P., Kainbacher, S., Hüfner, K., Kemmler, G., & Deisenhammer, E. A. (2024). Trait emotional intelligence and resilience: Gender differences among university students. Neuropsychiatrie, 38(1), 39–46. https://doi.org/mpwh

Theodoratou, M., Farmakopoulou, I., Kougioumtzis, G., Kaltsouda, A., Siouti, Z., Sofologi, M., Gkintoni, E., & Tsitsas, G. (2023). Emotion-focused coping, social support and active coping among university students: Gender differences. Journal of Psychology & Clinical Psychiatry, 14(1), 5–9. https://doi.org/nbtq

Tinajero, C., Martínez-López, Z., Rodríguez, M. S., & Páramo, M. F. (2020). Perceived social support as a predictor of academic success in Spanish university students. Annals of Psychology, 36(1), 134–142. https://doi.org/gpjg69

Tomás, R. A., Ferreira, J. A., Araújo, A. M., & Almeida, L. S. (2015). Adaptação pessoal e emocional em contexto universitário: O contributo da personalidade, suporte social e inteligência emocional. Revista Portuguesa de Pedagogia, 87–107. https://doi.org/nbtr

van Wyk, M., Mason, H. D., van Wyk, B. J., Phillips, T. K., & van der Walt, P. E. (2022). The relationship between resilience and student success among a sample of South African engineering students. Cogent Psychology, 9(1), Artigo 2057660. https://doi.org/nbts

Vaux, A., & Chwalisz, K. (2000). Social support and adjustment to disability. Em R. G. Frank & T. R. Elliott (Eds.), Handbook of rehabilitation psychology (pp. 537–552). American Psychological Association.

Vaux, A., Philips, J., Holly, L., Thompson, B., Williams, D., & Stewart, D. (1986). The Social Support Appraisals (SSA) scale: Studies of reliability and validity. American Journal of Community Psychology, 14(2), 195–220. https://doi.org/fr35r5

Vera Gil, S. (2024). The Influence of gender on academic performance and psychological resilience, and the relationship between both: Understanding the differences through gender stereotypes. Trends in Psychology, 1–20. https://doi.org/nbtt

Zhang, X., Huang, P. F., Li, B. Q., Xu, W. J., Li, W., & Zhou, B. (2021). The influence of interpersonal relationships on school adaptation among Chinese university students during COVID-19 control period: Multiple mediating roles of social support and resilience. Journal of Affective Disorders, 285, 97–104. https://doi.org/gk679k

Published

2024-11-28

How to Cite

Ledo, J., & Português, P. (2024). Impact of social support and resilience on adaptation to university. Portuguese Journal of Behavioral and Social Research, 10(2), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.31211/rpics.2024.10.2.348

Issue

Section

Original Paper