A Psychological Model of College Student Retention

Character Strengths and First-Year College Students’ Academic Persistence Attitudes: An Integrative Model

“…Several decades later, researchers developed retention theories that, although still focused on interpersonal factors (e.g., belongingness) from suicide mortality research, began to target involvement in college. Several contemporary theories were developed regarding the importance of engagement and investment as contributors to student retention (e.g., Astin, 1984; Bean & Eaton, 2000; Tinto, 1987). Most notably, Tinto (1987, 1993) created a theory and a testable model addressing multiple personal and environmental factors as predictors of student retention.…”

Patterns of Academic Risk and Resilience: Post–High School Educational Pathways in the Context of the 2007 Economic Recession

“…It also provides evidence for the need to integrate multiple theoretical perspectives regarding academic resilience and move beyond ethnic comparative methods that only describe disparities in the academic achievement of Mexican-origin youth relative to other ethnic/racial groups (Kao & Thompson, 2003), without acknowledging how the sociohistorical context informs outcomes within particular groups (García Coll et al, 1996). Specifically, the themes we identified are congruent with the relational (Tinto, 1988; 2012), psychological (Bean & Eaton, 2000; 2003; Duckworth et al, 2007), role conflict (Ianni & Orr, 1996), and social contractual (Rousseau, 1995) perspectives. Supporting the relational perspective on academic resilience (Tinto, 1988; 2012), youth’s narratives highlighted the importance of a strong social support system, which can provide resources and emotional support to accommodate to difficult economic times.…”

“…Next, tenets of the psychological (Bean & Eaton, 2000; 2003; Duckworth et al, 2007) and role conflict perspectives (Ianni & Orr, 1996) were supported by the emergence of the Resource and Knowledge and Grit and Perseverance groups. These youth noted their active coping strategies, which included using their knowledge of the academic system to access loans and make economical education decisions (e.g., changing majors) and their role management skills to balance multiple roles and responsibilities (noted in the Prioritizing Resources theme).…”

“…The life course perspective provides a framework for our investigation of whether and how sociohistorical change — the 2007 economic recession — had implications for late adolescents’ transition into adulthood, in particular, their college engagement and achievement. We built on this perspective by applying theoretical models of academic resilience to focus on the role of the economic recession in Mexican-origin youth’s educational pathways (e.g., Bean & Eaton, 2000; Braxton, 2000; Rousseau, 1995; Tinto, 1988; 2012). Theoretical and empirical work on academic resilience suggests several approaches to promoting resilience.…”

“…For example, a relational perspective (Tinto, 2012) suggests that having strong connections with school staff and peers and a working knowledge of academic systems (e.g., grading, major completion, financial systems) are linked to continued college engagement and success, especially for ethnic minority youth. A psychological perspective suggests that having high educational expectations, using active coping strategies (e.g., problem solving, advice seeking), having a strong locus of control (Bean & Eaton, 2000; 2003), and having a personal inclination toward persevering on long-term goals, or grit (Duckworth, Peterson, Matthews, & Kelly, 2007), are also linked to academic resilience.…”