Review Of The Peer-Reviewed Article PSY 161 Dr. Cronin Pleas

Review Of The Peer Reviewed Articlepsy 161dr Croninplease Answer The

Review of the peer-reviewed article. PSY 161 Dr. Cronin Please answer the following questions using subheadings for your paper.

Introduction: What is the purpose of the research study? What is the rationale for this research study? What does the reviewed literature (articles cited by the authors) suggest regarding the need for this study as well as the probability of a significant outcome?

Method: What is the research hypothesis? Who are the participants and how were they selected? How were participants assigned to groups? What are the independent and dependent measures? What is the nature of the longitudinal design? What variable(s) if any, were manipulated by the researchers?

Results: What type of data analysis was conducted? Are there any significant correlations? Are there any significant differences among groups? If yes, on which variables did the groups differ?

Discussion: What are the author’s conclusions? Are the conclusions consistent with the hypothesis? Was the hypothesis supported? What are the limitations of the study? What future research is suggested by the authors? Do the conclusions seem intuitively valid to you?

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

The research study conducted by Gerdes and Mallinckrodt (1994) aims to explore the emotional, social, and academic adjustment of college students over time. The primary purpose is to understand how these domains of adjustment evolve during the college experience and to identify factors that influence students' adaptation. The rationale behind this study stems from the recognition that college transition is a critical developmental period associated with various psychological and social challenges. Prior literature cited by the authors indicates that successful adjustment during college is linked to better academic outcomes, lower dropout rates, and improved mental health. However, the literature also suggests variability in how students adapt, emphasizing the need for longitudinal research to capture changes over time and identify potential intervention points for at-risk students. The existing body of research underscores the importance of understanding the dynamic nature of student adjustment, supporting the study's hypothesis that adjustment levels fluctuate during college and are influenced by multiple factors, including personality, social support, and coping strategies.

Method

The study hypothesized that college students’ emotional, social, and academic adjustment would improve over their college years, with specific predictors influencing the pattern of change. Participants included a diverse sample of college students, selected through campus-wide recruitment to ensure representativeness. The authors employed a longitudinal design, collecting data at multiple time points across several academic years to track changes in adjustment variables. Participants were assigned to different groups based on their academic year (e.g., freshmen, sophomores), allowing for comparisons across stages of college. The independent variables encompassed measures of social support, self-esteem, and personality traits, whereas the dependent variables included self-reported levels of emotional, social, and academic adjustment. The longitudinal nature of the study allowed for observing trajectories of adjustment over time rather than static assessments. Researchers did not manipulate variables but rather observed natural changes and associations over the study period.

Results

The data analysis involved repeated-measures ANOVA to examine changes in adjustment scores across time points and correlations to explore relationships between predictors and adjustment outcomes. Significant findings revealed that emotional and social adjustment generally improved over time, while academic adjustment showed more variability depending on individual factors. Significant correlations were found between social support and positive adjustment outcomes, indicating that higher levels of perceived support were associated with better adjustment in all domains. Additionally, groups differed significantly on measures of self-esteem and personality traits, suggesting these factors influence the trajectory of adjustment. For instance, students with higher self-esteem showed greater gains in social and emotional adjustment, supporting the hypothesized role of individual differences in adaptation.

Discussion

The authors conclude that college students' adjustment improves over time in emotional and social domains, which aligns with the developmental expectations of maturation and increased familiarity with the college environment. Their findings support the initial hypothesis that certain personal and social factors—particularly social support and self-esteem—play a crucial role in facilitating positive adjustment outcomes. The conclusions are consistent with the data analyses and are supported by previous research, reinforcing the importance of social and psychological resources in student well-being. Limitations noted include reliance on self-report measures, which may be subject to bias, and the sample's limited geographic scope, potentially affecting generalizability. The authors suggest future research should investigate interventions aimed at enhancing social support and self-esteem to foster better adjustment, especially in vulnerable student populations. I find the conclusions intuitively valid given the longitudinal data presented; the results align with developmental theories emphasizing social integration and self-efficacy during transitional periods.

References

Gerdes, H., & Mallinckrodt, B. (1994). Emotional, social, and academic adjustment of college students: A longitudinal study. Journal of Counseling and Development, 72(3), 281-288.