THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL SUPPORT AND EXPLANATORY STYLE ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AMONG AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS ENROLLED IN A BACCALAUREATE NURSING PROGRAM.
Contributors: University of Houston.
Published: 1992
Number of pages: 168
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Education, Higher.; Sociology, Ethnic and Racial Studies.
Description: Despite an academically selective and competitive admissions process, attrition from nursing programs is high. This is especially true for blacks who are highly underrepresented among professional nurse graduates. By failing to graduate in numbers proportionate to the population, it is reasonable to deduce that black baccalaureate prepared nurses will be underrepresented in the workforce. Few studies are reported in the literature however, which examine noncognitive variables predictive of success for black students generally, or in nurse education programs.

Research question and hypotheses. This study was designed to answer the question: Is there a relationship between the variables social support and explanatory style, singularly or in combination, and academic performance of African-American students enrolled in a baccalaureate nursing program? Four hypotheses were proposed. Also addressed were relationships between selected demographic and background variables and academic performance.

Methodology. Using a convenience sample, 111 baccalaureate nursing students of African-American ethnicity, were surveyed. The following instruments were administered: (1) a Personal Data Questionnaire, (2) the Personal Resource Questionnaire (PRQ85) to measure social support, and, (3) the Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ) to measure explanatory style.

Data analysis and findings. Data were analyzed using: descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and simple linear and multiple regression analysis. Students with higher grade point averages and fewer course failures demonstrated higher levels of perceived support, identified greater network resources, and experienced fewer crises situations requiring the actual use of a network resource than students with high course failures and marginal grade point averages.

The direct effects predicted between explanatory style and academic performance were not found. Increased work hours and low financial resources were significantly correlated with semester course failures.

Conclusions. Among African-American baccalaureate nursing students, measures of social support are significant predictors of academic performance. The results suggest that the provision of a social support system for such students may serve to impact their high attrition from nurse education programs.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-11, Section: B, page: 5646.

Thesis (ED.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, 1992.

School code: 0087.