Self-Efficacy Buffers against Belonging Loss for Hispanic Students during the First Semester of College

Y

8

Self Efficacy; Hispanic American Students; College Freshmen; Student School Relationship; First Generation College Students; Low Income Students; College Readiness; Racial Differences; Ethnicity; White Students; Predictor Variables

2589-949X

Hispanic college students typically report a lower sense of belonging than their White peers, citing challenges related to first generation student status, low-income family backgrounds, and academic underpreparedness. The present study asked whether Hispanic students would have a lower sense of belonging than non-Hispanic White students and whether academic self-efficacy would be able to provide a greater buffer against belonging loss for Hispanic students compared to their non-Hispanic White peers. The participants of this study were Hispanic (n = 68) and non-Hispanic White (n = 420) first year students at a predominantly White small liberal arts college. Academic self-efficacy was a significant predictor of change in belonging for Hispanic students but not for non-Hispanic White students. These results suggest academic self-efficacy is a worthwhile target of belonging interventions for Hispanic students.

As Provided

2023

EJ1392527