The Role of Ethnic Identification and Perceived Social Support in Latinos' Adjustment to College

Abstract

This study examines the role of perceived social support and ethnic identification in Latinos'adjustment to college. Included were five sources of perceived support (family, general peer, Latino peer, faculty, and institutional) and five types of college adjustment (overall, social, emotional, academic, and attachment). The authors' perceived support model accounted for as much as 51% of the variance in attachment, with different types of support contributing uniquely to different types of adjustment. Perceived support mediated the relationship between ethnic identification and adjustment. Highly identified Latinos were less adjusted to college, in part because they perceived lower support than less identified Latinos. Important differences emerged between Latino peer support and general peer support for Latinos' college adjustment. Both individual differences and situational factors are emphasized. The implications of these findings for understanding Latinos' adjustment to college are discussed.