Abstract
-
Purpose
This study aimed to examine the relationship among professor-student interactions, grit, and adaptation to college life.
-
Methods
In this quantitative, cross-sectional study, participants completed a structured questionnaire comprising 48 items: 8 on general characteristics, 8 on professor-student interactions, 12 on grit, and 20 on adaptation to college life. Data were collected from 165 nursing students at two four-year universities between April 15 and May 20, 2023.
-
Results
Professor-student interactions had a mean score of 3.76±0.59 out of 5, grit had a mean score of 3.09±0.53, and adaptation to college life had a mean score of 3.48±0.51. Regression analysis identified significant predictors of adaptation to college life, including professor-student interactions (β=.26, p<.001), grit-perseverance of effort (β=.18, p=.047), and satisfaction with the major, with the "very satisfied" (β=.40, p<.001) and "satisfied" (β=.24, p=.002) categories showing significant impacts. The overall regression model was statistically significant (F=20.76, p<.001) and accounted for 32.5% of the variance in adaptation to college life.
-
Conclusion
Educational programs designed to strengthen professor-student interactions, enhance grit, and improve satisfaction with one's major should be developed to help nursing students adapt to college life. These findings have important implications for nursing education practices, the improvement of student support systems, and the preparation of students for their professional roles.
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Key Words: Nursing students; Professor; Social adjustment; Social interaction
INTRODUCTION
Adaptation to college life represents a constructive response by students to the academic, social, and emotional demands of a college environment [
1]. Difficulties in this adaptation, or maladaptation, can generate various forms of stress and lead to negative emotions such as despair, dissatisfaction, and depression. These challenges can adversely affect academic performance and, in severe cases, result in interruptions in studies-such as dropping out or taking a leave of absence-ultimately causing both personal and social challenges [
2].
Nursing students, in particular, face significant psychological and emotional pressure due to the high demands of their academic workload and clinical practice requirements [
1]. Many nursing students choose the major for its perceived high job stability and employment rate rather than personal interest in the subject [
1]. Consequently, when encountering difficulties adapting to college life-often compounded by the demanding nature of the subject and lower grades-more students consider dropping out [
3]. Identifying factors related to college adaptation in nursing students is essential so that effective measures can be implemented to help them navigate these transitions. Successfully adapting to college life enables nursing students to establish core values and acquire foundational knowledge about their field (i.e., providing care and promoting human health). In addition, such adaptation equips them with the skills and character necessary to fulfill their roles as professional nurses after graduation, thereby enabling them to respond appropriately to an ever-changing clinical environment [
4].
Factors known to affect nursing students' adaptation to college life include ego-identity and academic performance [
5], satisfaction with the major and self-efficacy [
6], as well as communication style [
7]. In recent years, there has been growing interest in the role of professor-student interactions in facilitating students' adaptation to college life. Such interactions directly influence satisfaction with college life, with more positive exchanges between educators and learners leading to higher satisfaction [
8]. Ethical and humanistic professor-student interactions, characterized by care and support within the educational environment, can promote both personal and professional growth among nursing students [
9]. Furthermore, effective professor-student interactions help students fully engage in college life [
10] and enhance analytical thinking, a critical factor for positive learning outcomes [
11]. In addition, these interactions foster self-directed learning and goal attainment [
12], which are closely linked to grit, particularly its perseverance of effort component.
Grit is defined as an enduring passion for a particular interest combined with the persistent effort required to achieve long-term goals, even in the face of hardships or failure [
13]. It is divided into two components: consistency of interest and perseverance of effort. Consistency of interest refers to maintaining a stable focus on one's goals, whereas perseverance of effort-akin to resilience-describes the capacity to continue striving toward one's goals despite challenges [
14]. Higher levels of grit are associated with lower academic dropout rates and greater satisfaction with college life [
14,
15], and grit positively influences subjective well-being and psychological health [
16]. In this context, grit may be linked to nursing students' ability to manage their learning processes and achieve positive academic outcomes.
A study of Chinese college students found that both sub-factors-consistency of interest and perseverance of effort-were positively correlated with academic outcomes [
17]. In contrast, a meta-analysis of 137 studies reported that although overall grit had a weak to moderate correlation with academic achievement, the perseverance of effort component exhibited a stronger correlation than consistency of interest [
14]. Given that academic achievement is an important factor in the adaptation of nursing students to university life [
5], it can be speculated that grit plays a role in their successful adaptation.
The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of professor-student interactions and grit on nursing students' adaptation to college life. Specifically, the study aimed to identify key factors among these that significantly contribute to successful adjustment, thereby providing insights to enhance nursing students' college experiences.
METHODS
1. Study Design
This study employed a cross-sectional design.
2. Setting and Samples
The study was conducted at two 4-year universities located in Seoul and Gangwon state in South Korea. Both institutions offer accredited nursing programs and provide diverse clinical training experiences. These universities were selected because of their similar curriculum structures, student demographics, and geographic locations, ensuring representativeness within the broader population of nursing students in the country.
The inclusion criteria were individuals aged 19 years or older who were currently enrolled in a nursing program and had voluntarily consented to participate. Students who were on leave or unwilling to provide informed consent were excluded.
The sample size for the multiple linear regression analysis was calculated using G*Power 3.1.9.7. A medium effect size of 0.15, a statistical power (1-β) of 80%, and 10 potential predictors were specified, yielding a required sample size of 147. Based on previous studies in nursing education [
5], and to account for an anticipated dropout rate of 15%, a total of 170 participants were recruited. After collecting the questionnaires via a designated drop box and excluding five unreturned surveys, the final sample consisted of 165 participants.
A structured questionnaire was used for data collection, comprising a total of 48 questions: 8 on general characteristics, 8 on professor-student interactions, 12 on grit, and 20 on adaptation to college life. Approval for using each instrument was obtained by directly contacting the respective authors via email.
1) General characteristics
The demographic data collected included gender, grade, age, religion, overall grade point average, living situation, motivation for choosing the major, and satisfaction with the major.
2) Professor-student interactions
Professor-student interactions refer to students' experiences of academic and social exchanges with professors on campus. These interactions encompass not only regular academic activities, such as classroom instruction, but also activities outside of class-including debates, shared activities, and consultations providing feedback on career plans and academic performance [
18]. The instrument used to measure professor-student interactions was developed by Kim [
19] and Cole and Griffin [
18] and was modified to include three categories adapted from the leader-member exchange instrument by Graen and Scandura [
20]. Eight items were divided into two categories: (1) interest and consideration, and (2) respect. Each item was rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (completely disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The maximum possible score is 40, with higher scores indicating more positive professor-student interactions. Cronbach's ⍺ was .89 in both Kim's [
19] and Cole and Griffin's [
18] studies, and it was .89 in this study as well, demonstrating good internal consistency.
3) Grit
Grit is defined as an enduring passion for a particular interest along with the persistent effort to achieve long-term goals, even in the face of hardship [
13]. It was measured using an instrument adapted by Lee [
21] from the original Grit Scale developed by Duckworth and Quinn [
13]. The instrument consists of 12 items divided into two sub-factors: perseverance of effort and consistency of interest, with higher scores indicating greater levels of grit. Each item was rated on a 5-point Likert scale from 1 (completely disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Cronbach's ⍺ was .79 in Lee's study [
21] and .80 in the current study, indicating good internal consistency. For the sub-factors, Cronbach's ⍺ was .70 for perseverance of effort and .63 for consistency of interest.
4) Adaptation to college life
Adaptation to college life refers to how well a student adjusts to various aspects of college, including academic responsibilities, the social environment and interpersonal relationships, participation in extracurricular activities, and the management of personal-emotional and psychological stress [
22]. To assess this construct, we employed a 20-item instrument adapted by Oh [
23] from the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire originally developed by Baker and Siryk [
22]. This instrument comprises three sub-factors: academic adaptation, social adaptation, and personal-emotional adaptation. Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (completely disagree) to 5 (strongly agree), with higher scores indicating better adaptation to college life. Cronbach's ⍺ was .85 in Oh's study [
23] and .86 in the current study, demonstrating good internal consistency.
Data were collected between April 15 and May 20, 2023. The study protocol and questionnaire were reviewed and approved by the Gangneung-Wonju National University Institutional Review Board (GWNUIRB-2023-2) prior to data collection. For participant recruitment, notices about the study were posted, and questionnaires were placed in front of lecture halls for students willing to participate. Before completing the questionnaire, participants read an explanation sheet detailing the study's objectives, methods, benefits, and potential inconveniences, as well as their right to refuse participation at any time. Those who consented signed a written consent form before completing the questionnaire. Participants took the consent form and questionnaire from a designated location in front of the classroom and, after completing the questionnaire, placed their responses in a provided envelope before depositing them in a response box. As a token of appreciation, each participant received 5,000 Korean won via the contact information provided at the beginning of the study after data collection was complete. To maintain anonymity, a research assistant coded personal information using numerical identifiers. The completed questionnaires were stored in a locked cabinet belonging to one of the researchers, and the data were securely stored on a password-protected computer accessible only to the research team. All data will be discarded after three years.
5. Data Analysis
Data were analyzed using SPSS (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 25.0, Armonk, NY, USA). Descriptive statistics-including raw counts, percentages, means, and standard deviations-were calculated for participants' demographic characteristics and main variables. To examine differences in adaptation to college life across demographic groups, the t-test and analysis of variance were conducted, with Scheffé's test used for post-hoc comparisons. For independent variables with group sizes less than 30, the non-parametric Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were employed. Pearson's correlation coefficients were computed to examine the relationships among professor-student interactions, grit, and adaptation to college life. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify factors affecting nursing students' adaptation to college life. Cronbach's ⍺ coefficients were calculated for each scale to assess instrument reliability.
RESULTS
1. General Characteristics
The majority of participants were women (87.3%). The distribution of academic years-freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors-was nearly equal. The average age of participants was 21.7±3.32 years. Nearly half of the students (47.6%) reported a total grade point average in the range of 3.5-3.9. Regarding living situations, 46.7% of the students lived with their families, while the remaining students resided in dormitories or rented accommodations. Motivations for choosing the nursing major varied; the most common reasons were "aptitude" (44.3%) and "employment rate" (37.0%). In terms of satisfaction with their major, the majority of participants reported being "satisfied" (53.3%), with a smaller proportion indicating that they were "very satisfied" (17.0%) (
Table 1).
The mean score for professor-student interactions was 3.76±0.59 on a 5-point scale, indicating moderate-to-high levels of interaction. The overall mean grit score was 3.09±0.53, with the sub-factor perseverance of effort (3.43±0.63) scoring higher than consistency of interest (2.74±0.72). The average score for adaptation to college life was 3.48±0.51. Among its subdomains, social adaptation had the highest mean score (4.13±0.60), followed by academic adaptation (3.45±0.66), while personal-emotional adaptation had the lowest mean score (3.20±0.70) (
Table 2).
Analysis of differences in adaptation to college life based on general characteristics revealed a significant difference according to satisfaction with one's major (
x2=36.43,
p<.001). Post-hoc analysis confirmed that students who reported being "very satisfied" with their major exhibited significantly higher adaptation to college life compared to those who were moderately satisfied (
Table 3).
Correlation analysis revealed that adaptation to college life was positively correlated with professor-student interactions (r=.42,
p<.001) and with the grit sub-factor perseverance of effort (r=.33,
p<.001) (
Table 4).
To identify the factors influencing adaptation to college life, multiple regression analysis was performed including satisfaction with the major (the only general characteristic showing a significant association), professor-student interactions, and grit-perseverance of effort (which demonstrated significant correlations).
In multiple regression analysis, all tolerance values were ≥0.1 (range=.63-.91), and all variance inflation factor (VIF) values were <10 (range=1.10~1.59), indicating no issues with multicollinearity. Additionally, the Durbin-Watson statistic was close to 2, confirming the absence of autocorrelation. The overall regression model was statistically significant.
The significant predictors of adaptation to college life were professor-student interactions (β=.26,
p<.001), grit-perseverance of effort (β=.18,
p=.007), and satisfaction with the major-specifically, the "very satisfied" (β=.40,
p<.001) and "satisfied" (β=.24,
p=.002) categories. The model explained 32.5% of the variance in adaptation to college life (
Table 5).
DISCUSSION
The purpose of this study was to identify factors affecting nursing students' adaptation to college life. Our findings confirmed that professor-student interactions, grit-perseverance of effort, and satisfaction with the major are important determinants of adaptation among nursing students.
The mean professor-student interactions score among participants was 3.76 points. This score is comparable to the 3.71-point mean observed in a sample of nursing students aged 19 years or older from three universities [
24] but is lower than the 3.85-point mean reported among first- or second-year nursing students preparing for practical classes [
25]. Previous research has shown that professor-student interaction scores can vary considerably due to cultural, educational, and institutional factors [
26]. Both studies [
24,
25] were conducted in South Korean nursing colleges, where hierarchical relationships and respect between professors and students are strongly emphasized. This cultural context may influence the nature and quality of professor-student interactions. Moreover, the standardized nursing education system in Korea, which includes clinical practice, may also affect these interactions [
27]. Given the variability across institutions, future research should examine a broader range of nursing institutions while considering the hierarchical nature of these relationships and the specific characteristics of the Korean nursing curriculum.
The overall mean grit score in our study was 3.09 points, which is lower than the 3.89 points reported in previous studies using the same instrument [
28]. This discrepancy may be due to the fact that prior studies focused exclusively on third- and fourth-year nursing students, who may have developed higher levels of grit over time. In contrast, our sample included students from all academic years, potentially leading to a lower overall mean score. Additionally, previous research suggests that upper-year students often develop greater resilience through training [
28], and that grit levels can vary based on institutional culture and educational methodologies [
29]. Future studies should investigate whether differences in grit scores are primarily due to variations in academic year distribution or if they are also influenced by institutional and educational factors.
Interestingly, grit scores did not significantly increase with academic advancement, despite the increasing complexity and specialization of coursework from freshman to senior year. This finding suggests that the development of grit may not be directly linked to academic challenges or the intensity of nursing-specific coursework. One explanation is that grit-characterized by perseverance and passion for long-term goals-might be more strongly influenced by individual personality traits or external support systems rather than academic progression alone [
30]. Alternatively, students who persist through the program may already possess a baseline level of grit required to meet the demands of nursing education, which could account for the relatively stable grit scores across different academic years [
31]. These results underscore the need for further research to explore the factors contributing to grit development in nursing students beyond their academic experiences.
Within the subdomains of grit, the mean score for perseverance of effort was 3.43 points, which was higher than the mean score for consistency of interest at 2.74 points. This pattern is consistent with findings from other studies on nursing students [
16,
32]. Previous research has demonstrated that grit, defined as passion and perseverance for long-term goals [
13], is a novel predictor of academic achievement [
14]. For instance, Boerma and Neill [
33] found that the perseverance of effort component was significantly associated with higher academic achievement and satisfaction among college students, outperforming traits such as conscientiousness or self-control as predictors of success. These findings indicate that perseverance of effort may account for some of the variability in academic performance and should be considered a key aspect of grit [
33]. Moreover, grit is linked not only to learning outcomes but also to broader achievements and career success [
14]. Therefore, the grit scores of nursing students are likely to be important indicators of both academic achievement and occupational adaptation.
The overall mean score for adaptation to college life was 3.48 out of 5 points, which is higher than the 3.26 points reported in a previous study using the same instrument [
23]. Among the subdomains, social adaptation received the highest mean score (4.13 points), whereas personal-emotional adaptation had the lowest mean score (3.20 points). This indicates that while students are relatively successful in adapting socially to campus life, they face greater challenges in personal-emotional adaptation, reflecting their ability to manage psychological stress and maintain well-being. One possible explanation is that, amid the COVID -19 pandemic, students may have struggled to effectively manage external stressors. The pandemic significantly disrupted the educational landscape, leading to prolonged periods of online learning, reduced peer interaction, and limited clinical exposure [
34]. These disruptions may have contributed to lower grit scores and increased difficulties in adapting to college life due to fewer opportunities for hands-on learning and the establishment of social support networks [
35]. Further research is needed to investigate these effects in greater detail.
Correlation analysis revealed that nursing students' adaptation to college life was significantly correlated with both professor-student interactions and the grit sub-factor perseverance of effort. In contrast, the consistency of interest component of grit did not show a significant correlation with adaptation. These findings are consistent with previous research reporting positive correlations between professor-student interactions and adaptation to college life [
36] and between adaptation and perseverance of effort [
37].
Multiple regression analysis indicated that professor-student interactions, grit-perseverance of effort, and satisfaction with the major significantly influenced nursing students' adaptation to college life. Among these, professor-student interactions emerged as the most important positive predictor, contributing to improved academic performance and overall satisfaction with college life. These results are consistent with previous studies [
36] demonstrating that effective professor-student interactions enhance learning motivation and self-efficacy [
8] and have a substantial impact on academic achievement [
30]. Positive relationships with professors are associated with increased academic self-efficacy and greater participation in learning [
24]. Continuous interactions-such as regular academic counseling, personalized feedback, and psychosocial support-can further facilitate adaptation to college life, underscoring the need for professors to actively engage with students and provide appropriate learning support.
We also observed a significant association between grit and adaptation to college life, specifically through the perseverance of effort component. This core element of grit involves maintaining persistent efforts in the face of challenges [
13]. In a cross-cultural study examining the predictive value of grit on achievement goals, the consistency of interest component negatively predicted some goals, whereas perseverance of effort positively predicted all goals [
17]. Therefore, to enhance nursing students' adaptation to college life, it is crucial to implement programs and support systems that strengthen perseverance of effort. Interventions such as resilience training workshops, peer mentoring, and goal-setting initiatives may help bolster this trait, ultimately contributing to both academic success and increased satisfaction with college life.
Additionally, satisfaction with the major significantly affected adaptation to college life. Previous studies have demonstrated that higher satisfaction with one's major is associated with a more positive attitude toward college life and an increased focus on learning, findings that are consistent with our results [
1,
6].
This study contributes to our understanding of college education by examining nursing students' learning and adaptation, and it offers valuable insights that can inform educational policy and academic management. Our findings underscore the importance of enhancing professor-student communication and fostering persistent efforts among students to improve their adaptability. These results can guide the development of college education policies and the improvement of learning environments. Moreover, the study emphasizes the need for professors to enhance their interactions with students and to implement programs and support systems that increase students' grit and satisfaction with their major.
However, this study has several limitations. First, due to its cross-sectional design, causal relationships among professor-student interactions, grit, and adaptation to college life cannot be established. Future longitudinal studies would be beneficial for assessing changes in these variables over time. Second, data collection relied on self-reported surveys, which may be subject to response bias due to social desirability or recall inaccuracies. Third, the study was conducted at only two universities, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other nursing institutions with different academic structures, student demographics, or cultural contexts. Additionally, other external factors-such as family environment and social supportwere not considered, even though they may influence nursing students' adaptation to college life. Future research should address these limitations by including a more diverse sample, incorporating multiple data sources, and employing validated instruments to enhance reliability and generalizability. Finally, the professor-student interaction instrument was modified from its original version and used without a formal validation process, which may further limit the generalizability of the findings.
2. Recommendations for Further Research and Practical Implications
The findings of this study indicate that professor-student interactions play a significant role in nursing students' adaptation to college life. Educational institutions should encourage professors to enhance their interactions with students and cultivate positive relationships. Given the strong association between perseverance-a key component of grit-and adaptation, colleges could implement programs such as resilience training workshops, mentorship initiatives, and peer support groups. In addition, comprehensive support systems-including academic counseling, mental health services, and career development resources-would further assist students in overcoming academic challenges and sustaining motivation. Furthermore, since satisfaction with one's major is crucial for successful adaptation, colleges should strive to create supportive learning environments and offer activities related to the major to boost students' satisfaction and engagement.
CONCLUSION
This study demonstrates that nursing students' adaptation to college life is influenced by professor-student interactions, grit-specifically the perseverance of effort-and satisfaction with their major. Consequently, it is imperative for colleges to enhance professor-student interactions and provide adequate learning support to facilitate adaptation. Moreover, implementing programs and support systems that bolster students' grit can improve their response to academic challenges and strengthen learning motivation. Additionally, initiatives aimed at increasing satisfaction with one's major are likely to further promote adaptability and academic success. These findings can inform the development of targeted strategies to improve students' adaptability in college, offering practical proposals for educational policy and academic management. In summary, educational institutions should prioritize policies and programs that enhance students' adaptability and learning motivation.
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CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
The authors declared no conflict of interest.
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AUTHORSHIP
Conceptualization - CE and JJ; Data curation - CE and JJ; Formal analysis - CE and JJ; Investigation - CE and JJ; Methodology - CE and JJ; Resources - CE; Supervision - CE; Validation - CE and JJ; Writing - original draft - CE and JJ; Writing - review & editing - CE and JJ.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This study was supported by the research fund of Korean Bible University in 2023.
We thank the nursing students for participating in this study.
Table 1.General Characteristics (N=165)
|
Variables |
Categories |
n (%) or M±SD |
|
Gender |
Men |
21 (12.7) |
|
Women |
144 (87.3) |
|
Year in college |
Freshman |
40 (24.2) |
|
Sophomore |
39 (23.6) |
|
Junior |
44 (26.7) |
|
Senior |
42 (25.5) |
|
Age (year) |
＜20 |
65 (39.4) |
|
20~21 |
36 (21.8) |
|
≥22 |
64 (38.8) |
|
21.7±3.32 |
|
Religion |
Protestantism |
84 (51.0) |
|
Buddhism |
7 (4.1) |
|
None |
74 (44.9) |
|
Total grade point average |
≥4.0 |
20 (13.6) |
|
3.5~3.9 |
70 (47.6) |
|
3.0~3.4 |
48 (32.7) |
|
≤2.9 |
9 (6.1) |
|
Living situation |
Living with family |
77 (46.7) |
|
Dormitory/other |
35 (21.2) |
|
Rented |
53 (32.1) |
|
Motivation for choosing major |
Aptitude |
73 (44.3) |
|
Parents' opinion |
20 (12.1) |
|
Employment rate |
61 (37.0) |
|
Apply according to grades |
3 (1.8) |
|
Other reasons |
8 (4.8) |
|
Satisfaction with the major |
Moderate |
49 (29.7) |
|
Satisfied |
88 (53.3) |
|
Very satisfied |
28 (17.0) |
Table 2.Professor-Student Interactions, Grit, and Adaptation to College Life (N=165)
|
Variables |
n |
M±SD |
Min |
Max |
|
Professor-student interactions |
8 |
3.76±0.59 |
2.00 |
5.00 |
|
Perception of interest and consideration |
5 |
3.62±0.65 |
2.00 |
5.00 |
|
Respect |
3 |
4.00±0.68 |
2.00 |
5.00 |
|
Grit |
12 |
3.09±0.53 |
1.50 |
4.58 |
|
Consistency of interest |
6 |
2.74±0.72 |
1.00 |
4.83 |
|
Perseverance of effort |
6 |
3.43±0.63 |
1.83 |
5.00 |
|
Adaptation to college life |
20 |
3.48±0.51 |
2.10 |
4.80 |
|
Academic adaptation |
4 |
3.45±0.66 |
1.50 |
5.00 |
|
Social adaptation |
5 |
4.13±0.60 |
2.40 |
5.00 |
|
Personal-emotional adaptation |
11 |
3.20±0.70 |
1.45 |
4.73 |
Table 3.Differences in the Degree of Adaptation to College Life according to Participants' General Characteristics (N=165)
|
Variables |
Categories |
Professor-student interactions |
Grit |
Adaptation to college life |
|
Consistency of interest |
Perseverance of effort |
|
M±SD |
t/F/x2 (p) |
M±SD |
t/F/x2 (p) |
M±SD |
t/F/x2 (p) |
M±SD |
t/F/x2 (p) |
|
Gender†
|
Men |
3.67±0.67 |
0.21 (.648) |
2.67±0.63 |
0.35 (.555) |
3.40±0.60 |
0.11 (.742) |
3.52±0.50 |
0.04 (.839) |
|
Women |
3.67±0.68 |
2.76±0.73 |
3.43±0.63 |
3.48±0.52 |
|
Year in college |
Freshman |
3.78±0.55 |
0.23 (.877) |
2.69±0.88 |
0.24 (.866) |
3.41±0.64 |
0.39 (.765) |
3.62±0.86 |
1.91 (.131) |
|
Sophomore |
3.72±0.57 |
2.71±0.62 |
3.39±0.65 |
3.42±0.49 |
|
Junior |
3.74±0.60 |
2.81±0.75 |
3.39±0.71 |
3.37±0.53 |
|
Senior |
3.82±0.64 |
2.76±0.62 |
3.52±0.50 |
3.53±0.47 |
|
Age (year) |
＜20 |
3.74±0.56 |
1.30 (.276) |
2.66±0.77 |
1.45 (.237) |
3.44±0.66 |
0.25 (.781) |
3.50±0.67 |
0.97 (.383) |
|
20~21 |
3.90±0.50 |
2.91±0.71 |
3.48±0.58 |
3.57±0.55 |
|
≥22 |
3.71±0.65 |
2.74±0.66 |
3.39±0.62 |
3.42±0.46 |
|
Religion‡
|
Protestantisma
|
3.71±0.61 |
4.43 (.219) |
2.92±0.72 |
8.82 (.121) |
3.60±0.60 |
7.21 (.104) |
3.52±0.51 |
4.43 (.219) |
|
Buddhismb
|
4.00±0.64 |
2.83±1.07 |
3.36±0.88 |
3.61±0.45 |
|
Nonec
|
3.81±0.57 |
2.61±0.65 |
3.28±0.57 |
3.47±0.50 |
|
Total grade point average |
≥4.0 |
3.84±0.57 |
0.97 (.808) |
2.93±0.74 |
4.21 (.240) |
3.49±0.77 |
2.09 (.553) |
3.43±0.49 |
2.09 (.553) |
|
3.5~3.9 |
3.78±0.64 |
2.82±0.72 |
3.51±0.60 |
3.51±0.53 |
|
3.0~3.4 |
3.74±0.58 |
2.66±0.57 |
3.32±0.56 |
3.42±0.47 |
|
≤2.9 |
3.58±0.50 |
2.67±0.76 |
3.07±0.65 |
3.58±0.68 |
|
Living situation |
Living with parents |
3.75±0.59 |
0.73 (.486) |
2.81±0.74 |
0.76 (.468) |
3.56±0.66 |
3.59 (.040) |
3.56±0.50 |
2.35 (.099) |
|
Dormitory and others |
3.69±0.59 |
2.72±0.78 |
3.33±0.57 |
3.33±0.47 |
|
Rented |
3.84±0.58 |
2.66±0.64 |
3.30±0.58 |
3.48±0.54 |
|
Motivation for choosing major‡
|
Aptitudea
|
3.87±0.60 |
6.49 (.165) |
2.90±0.69 |
13.42 (.009) |
3.55±0.60 |
8.25 (.083) |
3.62±0.52 |
8.25 (.083) |
|
Parents' opinionb
|
3.63±0.55 |
2.85±0.71 |
3.41±0.63 |
3.38±0.50 |
|
Employment ratec
|
3.73±0.53 |
2.58±0.69 |
d<a, b, c, e |
3.29±0.61 |
3.41±0.48 |
|
Apply according to gradesd
|
3.25±0.63 |
1.39±0.35 |
3.44±1.51 |
2.97±0.85 |
|
Other reasonse
|
3.63±0.86 |
2.79±0.64 |
3.35±0.39 |
3.33±0.35 |
|
Satisfaction with the major‡
|
Moderatea
|
3.48±0.60 |
12.53 |
2.62±0.67 |
1.42 (.491) |
2.62±0.69 |
14.62 (.001) |
3.25±0.47 |
36.43 (＜.001) |
|
Satisfiedb
|
3.81±0.55 |
(.002) |
2.75±0.70 |
3.41±0.63 |
3.51±0.45 |
|
Very satisfiedc
|
4.12±0.44 |
a<b, c |
2.93±0.80 |
3.79±0.71 |
a<c |
3.94±0.47 |
a<c |
Table 4.Correlations of Professor-Student Interactions, Grit, and Adaptation to College Life (N=165)
|
Variables |
Professor-student interactions |
Grit |
|
Consistency of interest |
Perseverance of effort |
|
r (p) |
r (p) |
r (p) |
|
Professor-student interactions |
1 |
|
|
|
Grit |
|
|
|
|
Consistency of interest |
-.10 (.201) |
1 |
|
|
Perseverance of effort |
.19 (.015) |
.24 (.002) |
1 |
|
Adaptation to college life |
.42 (＜.001) |
.15 (.056) |
.33 (＜.001) |
Table 5.Regression Analysis of Satisfaction with Major, Grit–Persistence of Effort, and Professor–Student Interactions on Adaptation to College Life (N=165)
|
Variables |
Categories |
B |
SE |
β |
t |
p
|
|
(Constant) |
|
1.90 |
.27 |
|
7.04 |
＜.001 |
|
Satisfaction with major |
Moderate (ref.) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Satisfied |
0.24 |
.08 |
.24 |
3.11 |
.002 |
|
Very satisfied |
0.54 |
.11 |
.40 |
4.91 |
＜.001 |
|
Grit-perseverance of effort |
|
0.15 |
.06 |
.18 |
2.74 |
.070 |
|
Professor–student interactions |
|
0.22 |
.06 |
.26 |
3.70 |
＜.001 |
|
|
Adj. R2=.325, F=20.76, p＜.001 |
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