Protester, Partygoer, or Simply Playing It Down? The Impact of Crowd Affiliations on LGBT Emerging Adults' Socioemotional and Academic Adjustment to College.

Although peer crowd affiliations have been studied among emerging adults in college, this work has yet to focus in on LGBT-identifying students. Accordingly, the current study a) surveyed the peer crowd landscape using a sample of 234 LGBT students (Mage = 19.89, SD = 1.55; 70.51% female, 18.38% male, 11.11% other) at a small, private, liberal arts college in Southern California, and b) explored the relationships between self-reported peer crowd affiliations and LGBT students' adjustment (i.e., loneliness, belongingness, and academic-, alcohol-, drug-, and sex-risk behaviors). Results point to the existence of four underlying peer crowd dimensions among LGBT students: protester, nonvocal, social, and athletic. Furthermore, affiliation with these peer crowds was found to relate to students' self-reported loneliness and academic-, drug-, and sex-risk behaviors.

The interface of identity distress and psychological problems in students' adjustment to University.

Identity distress, psychological symptoms, and adjustment to university (academic, social, and person-emotional) were examined among students in Spain (N = 241; Mage  = 19.0 (1.6), Md = 19; 84% female) and Canada (N = 531; Mage  = 19.8 (2.2), Md = 19; 82% female). The expected positive relationships were found between these variables. Similarly, increased identity distress of Spanish students and greater maladjustment at university for those in Canada were associated with contextual differences in the respective environments. Psychological problems mediated the linkages between identity distress with academic, social, and person-emotional functioning at university, respectively. Also, psychological problems and context/country were independent predictors of students' identity distress. Findings underscore the importance of examining contextual factors that influence student adjustment to university in relation to identity development and mental health and they offer suggestions for further research and counseling services.

Mudança curricular e de métodos pedagógicos: impacto vivenciado por estudantes de medicina / Curricular change and pedagogical methods: impact experienced by students of medicine

As mudanças nas formas de ensinar e aprender com ênfase no papel ativo dos estudantes têm sido observadas no Ensino Superior em geral e, em particular, no Ensino Médico. Apesar de haver um número considerável de trabalhos em torno dessa temática, constata-se uma carência relativa a estudos que valorizem a percepção dos estudantes como os agentes ativos de sua própria formação. Logo, com a finalidade de conhecer e analisar a qualidade das experiências vivenciadas, foi realizado um grupo focal com 6 estudantes concluintes do curso de Medicina de uma Faculdade Privada em Minas Gerais - Brasil no qual foram trabalhadas as suas percepções sobre as mudanças a nível do currículo, do curso e dos métodos pedagógicos dos professores, nomeadamente as alterações ocorridas nas vivências acadêmicas e adaptação. Importante destacar que os estudantes da pesquisa tiveram meios de comparação pela convivência com os colegas do curriculo antigo durante toda a formação. Os resultados mostraram que os estudantes foram capazes de identificar as alterações ocorridas no currículo e nos métodos pedagógicos; que os métodos ativos favoreceram qualitativamente as vivências acadêmicas por estreitar e melhorar as relações interpessoais com colegas de turma e de outras áreas, no trabalho interprofissional, além prepara-los melhor para a relação com o paciente. Quanto às atitudes e comportamentos adaptativos, relataram imaturidade, ansiedade e medo inerentes às novidades implementadas e aos cenários reais de prática no início do curso, demonstrando que os mesmos necessitam de apoios vários no processo de transição e adaptação.

Modifications in the teaching and learning methods, focusing an active role of the students, have been experienced in Higher Education, in general, and especially, in Medical Education. Although there is a reasonable number of studies around this issue, it is recognised a lack of studies that highlight the attitude of students as active agents of their own education. Therefore, aiming to understand and analyse the quality of the experiences, it was carried out a focus group with six senior students of Medicine of a Private University in Minas Gerais – Brazil. Herewith, were worked up students’ perceptions about the modifications in the syllabus, the course and in the teaching methods of the professors, namely the changes occurred in the academic experience and adjustment. Also, important to point out is that the students taking part in the research have had comparison means by getting together with peers from former syllabus during their instruction. Results show that the students were able to identify the changes carried out in the syllabus and in the teaching methods; that the active methods have boosted qualitatively the academic experiences and straitened and enhanced the interpersonal relationships with their peers and from other fields, at interprofessional work, besides preparing them better in their relationship with the patient. Regarding attitudes and adjustment behaviours, they have described immaturity, anxiety and fear resulting from the new things implemented and the real practice sceneries of the instruction proving that they need different support during the adjustment and transition process.

College Student Adjustment and Coping.

The present study examined the coping-related predictors of four domains of college adjustment (i.e., academic, social, personal or emotional, and institutional attachment) for bereaved and nonbereaved students ( N = 225). Findings indicated that support from friends was positively associated with academic and social adjustment and institutional attachment and that avoidant emotional-focused coping was negatively associated with all domains of adjustment for both bereaved and nonbereaved students. Interaction effects indicated that institutional attachment was lower at high levels of problem-focused coping for bereaved students and that bereaved students exhibited lower levels of both social adjustment and institutional attachment at low levels of family support, whereas nonbereaved students exhibited lower social adjustment at high levels of family support. Directions for future research and implications for practice and higher education policy are offered.

Career Attitude Maturity, Calling, and Work as Meaning Affecting Student Adjustment to College among Health College Students / 간호행정학회지

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to identify factors affecting student adjustment to college among students in health colleges (Nursing, Clinical Pathology, Radiology, Dental Hygienics, Medicine). METHODS: The participants in this study were 261 students in Daejeon city. Data were collected from October 5 to October 14, 2014. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection and data was analyzed using the SPSS/WIN program. RESULTS: Career attitude maturity, calling and work as meaning positively correlated with student adjustment to college. The significant predictors of student adjustment to college were career attitude maturity, calling, always working part-time, major in medicine and average grade for the last semester. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that adjustment to college for students in health colleges is linked to career attitude maturity, and calling. College organization should develop a curriculum fostering a calling which will promote student adjustment to college and graduate health care professionals with desirable attitudes.