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Description:
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This study explored the relationship among perceived family environment , social support from different sources , self -competence , and internalizing /externalizing problem behaviors in freshmen college students . Previous studies have shown that family environment , social support , and competence all relate to adjustment and behaviors in clinical and non -clinical populations . The purpose of the current study is to integrate the aforementioned variables in order to determine how they contribute both jointly and independently to the prediction of self - and parent -reported of college students' intemalizing and extemalizing behaviors .
A series of questionnaires was administered to freshmen college students (N=311 ) at a southwestem university who recently left their families -of -origin and entered college life . A demographic questionnaire and six different self -report scales were used to obtain relevant background information and their perceived competencies in specific domains , perceived family cohesion , adaptability , satisfaction , perceived emotional support from mother , father , sibling , close friend , peers , instmctors , campus organizations , and their self -reports of intemalizing and extemalizing behavioral ftinctioning . A second standardized scale that tapped the same college students' behaviors was completed by one of their parents (N=213 ) . Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to identify potential contributions of the aforementioned variables in the prediction of self and parent reports of intemalizing and extemalizing behaviors . Correlational analyses with stringent p -values were performed to supplement the findings among those variables .
Results from regression analyses indicated that college students' self -report intemalizing behaviors could be accounted for significantly by perceived competence and perceived peer support . Their self -report extemalizing behaviors could be significantly and uniquely accounted for by perceived family satisfaction . Overall , females' perceived family environment , social support and competence accounted for more percentage of variance in predicting self -reported outcome behaviors , whereas , males' perceived family environment , social support , and competence accounted for significantly more percentage of variance in predicting parent -reported outcome behaviors . Perceived competence appears to relate more to males' outcome behaviors than females . Correlational analyses suggested that more family environment and social support variables are related to females' self -report intemalizing and extemalizing behaviors . These findings enhance our understanding of freshmens' behavioral problems with regard to individual , family and social factors . It is suggested that the etiology and treatment of young adults' problem behaviors should be considered by separate gender . |