1. A Model for Investigating the Relationship of Student Life Programs, Student GPA, Retention, & Health Status
Craig Becker, Ph.D.
Marilyn Sheerer,Ph.D., Sue Martin, MPA
East Carolina University

2. Overview Why are research and assessment essential in student affairs?
What relationships are important to investigate?
What multiple methods can be utilized?
What are the expected outcomes of the research?
How can we use the findings?

3. Big Issue
Do Student Life Programs improve student performance in college?
The informal answer - YES!
But do we have sufficient data?
Is it convincing?

4. Existing Research Findings - college has effects:
Pascarella & Terenzini: “How College Affects Students- 3rd ed.”
Findings - college has effects:
Psychosocial changes - become more independent
Attitudes and values develop and form for life
Advanced moral reasoning skills are developed
Environments influence educational attainment
Friendships, support services, caring environment good
Involvement in college sponsored programs good
Our model is designed to expand this research
Specifically - How do Student Life Programs Affect Students?

5. Keep It Simple
Question: Do students involved with student life programs do better in college than students not involved?
When do measures matter?
When are they useful?
How do we know?
What measures indicate performance?

6. My Work I work with Health Education & Promotion
Today dominant theory - Pathology
Study of disease
My research - Causes of Health - Salutogenics
Study of health

7. Why use salutogenesis? We can do better with more information!
We have done well, but.....
We can do better with more information!
If not bad, are you good?
If not poor, are you rich?
If not hopeless, are you hopeful?
If not dissatisfied, are you satisfied?
If not ill, do you have health/wellness?
If you don’t flunk out, are you a good student?

8. Salutogenesis vs. Pathogenesis
Existing Model - Pathogenesis studies origins of disease
Salutogenesis studies the origins of Health
Pathogenesis Basics
What causes diseases?
About Avoiding Problems
Disease/Illness an anomaly
Reactive - Absence Disease
Optimistic - Treat Disease
Against pain or Loss
Prepares one to live
Salutogenesis Basics
What causes Health?
About Approaching Potential
Inherently flawed, entropy
Proactive - Presence Health
Pessimistic - Go Get Health
For Gain or Growth
Discover how to live fully
AND
Like Mother Theresa’s Empowering Philosophy

9. Pathology Objectives
Diseases
Bacteria
Dirt
Risks
Toxins
Pollution
Injury
Accidents

10. Salutogenic Objectives
Happiness
Enthusiasm
Fun
Joy
Hope
Excitement
Laughter
Endorphins

11. Adapt Salutogenic Model
What are student life programs purposes?
To Add quality to college experience
Apply model to study Student Life Programs
What are gains to students from Student Life?
Need new Research Model
Can use Salutogenics to discover gains...
Meliorgenesis - origins of improvement, to make better
If students don’t drop out - do they do well?
Seek factors related to positive college experience

12. Salutogenics to Student Life
Student Life Goals
Traditional
What causes college failure?
Factors Related to Problems
Reactive - Treat problems
Good performance expected
Against Problems
Help students Survive college
and
New Outlook
What causes good performance?
Factors related to achievement
Proactive - Help Students Excel
Difficulties expected
For Performance
Helps students Thrive at School
Like Mother Theresa’s Empowering Philosophy

13. Traditional Research Objectives
Attrition
DropOut
Poor Work
Risks
Crime
Abuse
Injury
Accidents

14. New Outlook Retention Persistence Enthusiasm Fun GPA Engagement
Employment
Health Status

15. Proposed Research Assess student Involvement
Gather a representative Sample
Compare involvement with GPA, Health Status
Follow to determine Persistence, Employment...
Compare those involved with those not involved
Look at Different Groups - On/Off Campus, year in school, gender, etc.

16. Research Question Program involvement in areas:
Is student involvement with student life programs related to student performance and health status?
Dependent Variables:
Student Performance Measures:
GPA; Retention; Persistence; Employment
Health Status Measures:
Health Status; Treated Illnesses; BMI
Interventions: Independent Variables
Program involvement in areas:
Physical, Social, Emotional, Spiritual, Intellectual, Vocational, Environmental

17. Research Model Outcome Measures: Dependent Variables:
Retention, Persistence
GPA
Health Status
Future Employment
Interventions: Independent Variables
Programs in areas:
Physical, Social, Emotional, Spiritual, Intellectual, Vocational, Environmental

18. Data Collection Random Representative campus group
Pull from complete list of students (N=500)
Contact via - online questionnaire
Collect data online
Data confirmation through records
Must be Confidential Assessment
Assessment of Personal Behaviors
Salutogenic Wellness Promotion Scale (SWPS)
Assessment of engagement in areas on campus
Use Questionnaires for data collection

19. Assess How often Involved
Answer by Involvement: Daily, Few Times a Week, Weekly, Bi-Weekly, Monthly, Few Times/semester, Never
Physical: I exercise at the SRC?
SWPS: I incorporate physical activity into my day.
Emotional: I visit counseling center for advice.
SWPS: I treat difficult situations as possible opportunities.
Spiritual: I participate with my preferred campus spiritual center.
SWPS: I consult higher powers for answers.
Vocational: I visit the Career Center for career guidance and programs.
SWPS: My schoolwork is important.
Social: I am involved in campus social activities.
SWPS: I have pleasant interactions with family/friends.
Environmental: I use campus recycling opportunities.
SWPS: I recycle.
Intellectual: I do work for my classes.
SWPS: I work at improving my verbal skills/vocabulary.

20. Assess Impact After Graduation
Assess post graduation to compare
What is involvement with community
Employment search and status
Retrospective College perception
Research Questions
Do college activities set habits for life?
Does it relate to job acquisition and skills?
Student Life activities related to later involvement?

21. Limitations Model can not determine Cause & Effect
Can be university/context specific
Self Report Bias
Concerns about attrition/Sample Size

22. Expand Student Performance Data ABOUT STUDENT PERORMANCE
Why do this Research?
Expand Student Performance Data
Add
Factors related to
Good Performance
KNOWLEDGE
ABOUT STUDENT PERORMANCE

23. Information Expansion
Expected Outcomes
Information about relationships
Student Involvement and Outcomes
Is student life related to performance?
Are appropriate programs offered?
Are Student Life programs managed appropriately?