Relative Effects of Goal-Setting, Values plus Goal-Setting, and Information Provision on the Adjustment of College Freshmen
Authors:   , Kaye Joanna L. , Herbert James D. , Forman Evan M. 
Published: July 2021

The transition from high school to college can be difficult and often leads to maladjustment, psychopathological symptoms, and student attrition. Prevention efforts are needed to help freshmen adjust to college. Young adults often have low self-control and increased rates of temporal discounting (the weakening of consequence effects due to delay), which are in turn associated with maladjustment and maladaptive behaviors. Two methods that might improve self-control and temporal discounting and, accordingly, freshman adjustment to college, are goal-setting and values interventions. These programs aim to help freshmen set effective goals and clarify and commit to what is important to them. An assessment of the effects of these programs might include as comparison a program that provides students with education about university resources, which is the current standard for helping freshmen adjust to college. The current study sought to determine the differential impacts of goal-setting, values plus goal-setting, and education interventions on adjustment to college, quality of life, retention, and maladaptive behaviors. The study also aimed to examine whether changes in these variables were moderated or mediated by changes in self-control and temporal discounting. College freshmen (N = 168) completed surveys and were randomly assigned to complete a single-session online goal-setting, values plus goal-setting, or education intervention at the beginning of the first quarter of college. After the first quarter, they completed endpoint surveys that assessed key variables. Results revealed that participants in the goal-setting and values plus goal-setting conditions worsened in adjustment and psychopathology, whereas adjustment scores and psychopathological symptoms for the participants in the education intervention did not change. The groups did not differ in quality of life or retention rates immediately following the initial academic term, and changes in self-control and temporal discounting did not mediate changes in outcome variables. Notably, almost half of the participants in the values plus goal-setting condition withdrew from the program. Findings suggest that providing concrete information to freshmen about navigating university life helped protect them from the regular deterioration that often occurs during this critical transition period. Additionally, attrition rates and participant responses to free-response questions suggest that the combined values plus goal-setting intervention was not as palatable to many students compared to the education intervention. Findings also indicate that brief goal-setting and values interventions do not effectively improve self-control or rates of temporal discounting. Future research should examine whether changes to the structure of the programs (e.g., in-person delivery, several sessions over the course of the term) or the audience (e.g., older college students, treatment-seeking freshmen) yield different results. Future research might also consider expanding the education program by personalizing information provision or extending program material across the term to determine if such changes further improve freshman adjustment.