Students who are the first in their family to go to university (first-generation students [FGS]) are still underrepresented at universities. One of the considered reasons for this is their lack of social support. Our study followed a group of German students at two time points: after their first educational choice and at the end of their first semester. According to social cognitive career theory, we tested for the effect of self-efficacy beliefs on intention to drop out, mediated by confidence in vocational choice. Following a social network perspective, we analyzed the moderating effect of support network size and support network quality. The findings reveal a complete mediation and add to the empirical evidence on social cognitive career theory. They demonstrate the special importance of social support for FGS. High-quality support networks help FGS struggling with confidence in their vocational choice to follow their university goals instead of dropping out but have no effect for other students.
AikenL. S.WestS. G. (1991). Multiple regression: Testing and interpreting interactions.
Newbury Park, CA:
Sage.
2.
AjzenI. (1991).
The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes,
50(2), 179–211. doi:10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T
3.
AlmeidaD. J.ByrneA. M.SmithR. M.RuizS. (2019). How relevant is grit? The importance of social capital in first-generation college students’ academic success. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice. doi:10.1177/1521025119854688
4.
AymansS. C.KauffeldS. (2015).
To leave or not to leave? Critical factors for university dropout among first-generation students. Zeitschrift Für Hochschulentwicklung,
10(4), 23–43. doi:10.3217/zfhe-10-04/02
5.
BanduraA. (1977).
Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, (2), 191–215. doi:10.1037/0033-295X.84.2.191
6.
BanduraA. (1982).
Self-efficacy mechanism in human agency. American Psychologist,
37(2), 122–147. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.37.2.122
7.
BarthauerL.SpurkD.KauffeldS. (2016).
Women’s social capital in academia: A personal network analysis. International Review of Social Research,
6(4), 173. doi:10.1515/irsr-2016-0022
8.
BaughS. G.ScanduraT. A. (1999).
The effect of multiple mentors on protege attitudes toward the work setting. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality,
14(4), 503–521.
9.
BoswellW. R.GardnerR. G.WangJ. (2017).
Is retention necessarily a win? Outcomes of searching and staying. Journal of Vocational Behavior,
98, 163–172. doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2016.11.006
10.
CaplanR. D. (1979). Social support, person-environment-fit and coping. In FurmanL.GordisJ. (Eds.), Mental health and the economy, 89-137.
Kalamazoo, MI:
Upjohn Institute.
11.
ChemersM. M.HuL.-T.GarciaB. F. (2001).
Academic self-efficacy and first year college student performance and adjustment. Journal of Educational Psychology,
93(1), 55–64. doi:10.1037//0022-0663.93.1.55
12.
CutronaC.RussellD.RoseJ. (1986).
Social support and adaptation to stress by the elderly. Psychology and Aging,
1(1), 47–54.
13.
EmmerikH.SandersK. (2004).
Social embeddedness and job performance of tenured and non-tenured professionals. Human Resource Management Journal,
14(1), 40–54. doi:10.1111/j.1748-8583.2004.tb00111.x
14.
FarmerR. F.SundbergN. D. (2010). Buffering hypothesis. In WeinerI. B.CraigheadW. E. (Eds.), The Corsini encyclopedia of psychology (4th ed., p. 539).
Hoboken, NJ:
John Wiley. doi:10.1002/9780470479216.corpsy0145
15.
GarriottP. O.HudymaA.KeeneC.SantiagoD. (2015).
Social cognitive predictors of first- and non-first-generation college students’ academic and life satisfaction. Journal of Counseling Psychology,
62(2), 253–263. doi:10.1037/cou0000066
16.
GarriottP. O.NavarroR. L.FloresL. Y. (2017).
First-generation college students’ persistence intentions in engineering majors. Journal of Career Assessment,
25(1), 93–106. doi:10.1177/1069072716657533
17.
GibbonsM. M.RhinehartA.HardinE. (2019).
How first-generation college students adjust to college. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice,
20(4), 488–510. doi:10.1177/1521025116682035
18.
GrantA. M.FranklinJ. (2007).
The transtheoretical model and study skills. Behaviour Change,
24(2), 99–113. doi:10.1375/bech.24.2.99
19.
Grant-ValloneE.ReidK.UmaliC.PohlertE. (2003).
An analysis of the effects of self-esteem, social support, and participation in student support services on students’ adjustment and commitment to college. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice,
5(3), 255–274. doi:10.2190/C0T7-YX50-F71V-00CW
20.
HainesV. A.BeggsJ. J.HurlbertJ. (2001).
Exploring the structural contexts of the support process: Social networks, social statuses, social support, and psychological distress. Advances in Medical Sociology,
8, 269–292. doi:10.1016/S1057-6290(02)80030-4
21.
HauschildtK. (2015). Social and economic conditions of student life in Europe: Synopsis of indicators: Eurostudent V 2012–2015.
Bielefeld, Germany:
W. Bertelsmann.
22.
HayesA. F. (2017). Methodology in the social sciences. Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach (2nd ed.). New York, NY: The Guilford Publications.
23.
HayesA. F. (2018).
Partial, conditional, and moderated mediation: Quantification, inference, and interpretation. Communication Monographs,
85(1), 4–40. doi:10.1080/03637751.2017.1352100
24.
HigginsM. C. (2000).
The more, the merrier? Multiple developmental relationships and work satisfaction. Journal of Management Development,
19(4), 277–296. doi:10.1108/02621710010322634
25.
HigginsM. C.KramK. E. (2001).
Reconceptualizing mentoring at work: A developmental network perspective. The Academy of Management Review,
26(2), 264. doi:10.2307/259122
26.
HigginsM. C.ThomasD. A. (2001).
Constellations and careers: Toward understanding the effects of multiple developmental relationships. Journal of Organizational Behavior,
22(3), 223–247. doi:10.1002/job.66
27.
IshitaniT. T. (2006).
Studying attrition and degree completion behavior among first-generation college students in the United States. The Journal of Higher Education,
77(5), 861–885. doi:10.1353/jhe.2006.0042
28.
JordanS.GessnitzerS.KauffeldS. (2016).
Effects of a group coaching for the vocational orientation of secondary school pupils. Coaching: An International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice,
9(2), 143–157. doi:10.1080/17521882.2016.1210185
29.
KennyM. E.BlusteinD. L.ChavesA.GrossmanJ. M.GallagherL. A. (2003).
The role of perceived barriers and relational support in the educational and vocational lives of urban high school students. Journal of Counseling Psychology,
50(2), 142–155. doi:10.1037/0022-0167.50.2.142
30.
KlonekF. E.IsidorR.KauffeldS. (2015).
Different stages of entrepreneurship: Lessons from the transtheoretical model of change. Journal of Change Management,
15(1), 43–63. doi:10.1080/14697017.2014.918049
31.
LentR. W.BrownS. D.HackettG. (1994).
Toward a unifying social cognitive theory of career and academic interest, choice, and performance. Journal of Vocational Behavior,
45(1), 79–122. doi:10.1006/jvbe.1994.1027
32.
LentR. W.BrownS. D.HackettG. (2002). Social cognitive career theory. In BrownD. (Ed.), Career choice and development (pp. 255–311).
San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
33.
Lent, R. W. (2005). A Social Cognitive View of Career Development and Counseling. In S. D. Brown & R. W. Lent (Eds.), Career development and counseling: Putting theory and research to work (pp. 101--127). Hoboken, NJ, US: John Wiley & Sons Inc.
34.
LevineA.NidifferJ. (1996). The Jossey-Bass higher and adult education series. Beating the odds: How the poor get to college (1st ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
35.
LinN. (2001). Social capital: A theory of social structure and action. Structural analysis in the social sciences (Vol. 19). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511815447
MarineauJ. E.HoodA. C.LabiancaG. J. (2017).
Multiplex conflict: Examining the effects of overlapping task and relationship conflict on advice seeking in organizations. Journal of Business and Psychology,
39(1), 123. doi:10.1007/s10869-017-9511-z
38.
MartinJ. P.BrownS.MillerM. K.SteflS. K. (2015).
Characterizing engineering student social capital in relation to demographics. International Journal of Engineering Education,
31(4), 914–926.
39.
MethotJ. R.LepineJ. A.PodsakoffN. P.ChristianJ. S. (2016).
Are workplace friendships a mixed blessing? Exploring tradeoffs of multiplex relationships and their associations with job performance. Personnel Psychology,
69(2), 311–355. doi:10.1111/peps.12109
40.
MiddendorffE.ApolinarskiB.PoskowskyJ.KandullaM. (2012). Die wirtschaftliche und soziale Lage der Studierenden in Deutschland 2012: 20. Sozialerhebung des Deutschen Studentenwerks. Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF). Berlin.
41.
MietheI.BoysenW.GrabowskyS.KludtR.DejacoC.DöppersT.ErlD. (2014). First Generation Students an deutschen Hochschulen: Selbstorganisation und Studiensituation am Beispiel der Initiative www.ArbeiterKind.de. Forschung aus der Hans-Böckler-Stiftung (Vol. 167).
Berlin, Germany:
Edition sigma.
42.
MietheI.SoremskiR. (2014).
First-generation students in East and West Germany: Theoretical concepts and initial results. Policy Futures in Education,
12(5), 658–669. doi:10.2304/pfie.2014.12.5.658
43.
MultonK. D.BrownS. D.LentR. W. (1991).
Relation of self-efficacy beliefs to academic outcomes: A meta-analytic investigation. Journal of Counseling Psychology,
38(1), 30–38. doi:10.1037/0022-0167.38.1.30
NeuenschwanderM. P.NägeleC. (2017). Bildungsverläufe von der Einschulung bis in den ersten Arbeitsmarkt.
Wiesbaden, Germany:
Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden.
46.
PascarellaE. T.PiersonC. T.WolniakG. C.TerenziniP. T. (2004).
First-generation college students: Additional evidence on college experiences and outcomes. The Journal of Higher Education,
75(3), 249–284. doi:10.1353/jhe.2004.0016
47.
PattonW.CreedP. A. (2001).
Developmental issues in career maturity and career decision status. The Career Development Quarterly,
49(4), 336–351. doi:10.1002/j.2161-0045.2001.tb00961.x
48.
PreacherK. J.HayesA. F. (2004).
SPSS and SAS procedures for estimating indirect effects in simple mediation models. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers,
36(4), 717–731. doi:10.3758/BF03206553
49.
Ramos-SánchezL.NicholsL. (2007).
Self-efficacy of first-generation and non-first-generation college students: The relationship with academic performance and college adjustment. Journal of College Counseling,
10(1), 6–18. doi:10.1002/j.2161-1882.2007.tb00002.x
50.
ReayD.DavidM. E.BallS. (2005). Degrees of Choice: Social Class, Race and Gender in Higher Education.
London, England:
Institute of Education Press.
51.
RodeJ. C.RehgM. T.NearJ. P.UnderhillJ. R. (2007).
The effect of work/family conflict on intention to quit: The mediating roles of job and life satisfaction. Applied Research in Quality of Life,
2(2), 65–82. doi:10.1007/s11482-007-9030-6
52.
ScholzU.Gutiérrez-DoñaB.SudS.SchwarzerR. (2002).
Is general self-efficacy a universal construct?European Journal of Psychological Assessment,
18(3), 242–251. doi:10.1027//1015-5759.18.3.242
53.
SchwarzerR.JerusalemM. (Hrsg.) (1999). Skalen zur Erfassung von Lehrer- und Schülermerkmalen. Dokumentation der psychometrischen Verfahren im Rahmen der Wissenschaftlichen Begleitung des Modellversuchs Selbstwirksame Schulen.
Berlin, Germany:
Freie Universität Berlin.
54.
SeemanT. E.BerkmanL. F. (1988).
Structural characteristics of social networks and their relationship with social support in the elderly: Who provides support. Social Science & Medicine,
26(7), 737–749. doi:10.1016/0277-9536(88)90065-2
55.
SongL.SonJ.LinN. (2011). Social support. In ScottJ.CarringtonP.J. (Eds.), The Sage Handbook of Social Network Analysis (pp. 116–128).
London, England:
SAGE.
56.
SpieglerT.BednarekA. (2013).
First-generation students: What we ask, what we know and what it means: An international review of the state of research. International Studies in Sociology of Education,
23(4), 318–337. doi:10.1080/09620214.2013.815441
57.
SyS. R.FongK.CarterR.BoehmeJ.AlpertA. (2011).
Parent support and stress among first-generation and continuing-generation female students during the transition to college. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice,
13(3), 383–398. doi:10.2190/CS.13.3.g
58.
Tate, K. A., Caperton, W., Kaiser, D., Pruitt, N. T., White, H., & Hall, E. (2015). An Exploration of First-Generation College Students' Career Development Beliefs and Experiences. Journal of Career Development, 42(4), 294--310. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894845314565025
59.
ThieleL.KauffeldS. (2019). Online self-assessments zu Studien- und Universitätswahl. In KauffeldS.SpurkD. (Eds.), Handbuch Karriere und Laufbahnmanagement (pp. 109–132).
Berlin, Germany:
Springer. doi:10.1007/978-3-662-48750-1_4
60.
ThomasE.QuinnJ. (2007). First generation entry into higher education: An international study.
Maidenhead, England:
Society for Research into Higher Education & Open University Press.
61.
Thompson, R. A., Flood, M. F., & Goodvin, R. (2006). Social support and developmental psychopathology. In D. Cicchetti & D. J. Cohen (Eds.), Developmental psychopathology: Risk, disorder, and adaptation (pp. 1--37). Hoboken, NJ, US: John Wiley & Sons Inc.
62.
TorresJ. B.SolbergV. S. (2001).
Role of self-efficacy, stress, social integration, and family support in Latino college student persistence and health. Journal of Vocational Behavior,
59(1), 53–63. doi:10.1006/jvbe.2000.1785
63.
ToutkoushianR.StollbergR.SlatonK. (2018).
Talking ’bout my generation: Defining “first-generation college students” in higher education research. Teachers College Record,
120, 1–38.
64.
VauxA. (1985).
Variations in social support associated with gender, ethnicity, and age. Journal of Social Issues,
41(1), 89–110. doi:10.1111/j.1540-4560.1985.tb01118.x
65.
ViswesvaranC.SanchezJ. I.FisherJ. (1999).
The role of social support in the process of work stress: A meta-analysis. Journal of Vocational Behavior,
54(2), 314–334. doi:10.1006/jvbe.1998.1661
66.
WalkerJ. M.WassermanP. M.WellmanB. (1993).
Statistical models for social support networks. Sociological Methods and Research,
22(1), 71–98.
67.
WigfieldA. ,& EcclesJ. S. (2000).
Expectancy-value theory of achievement motivation. Contemporary Educational Psychology,
25(1), 68–81. doi:10.1006/ceps.1999.1015
68.
WiseS. (2014).
Can a team have too much cohesion? The dark side to network density. European Management Journal,
32(5), 703–711. doi:10.1016/j.emj.2013.12.005
69.
YomtovD.PlunkettS. W.EfratR.MarinA. G. (2017).
Can peer mentors improve first-year experiences of university students?Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice,
19(1), 25–44. doi:10.1177/1521025115611398
70.
ZimmermanB. J.BanduraA.Martinez-PonsM. (1992).
Self-motivation for academic attainment: The role of self-efficacy beliefs and personal goal setting. American Educational Research Journal,
29(3), 663–676. doi:10.3102/0002831202900366
