The Dual Roles of Searching for and Presence of Purpose Toward Promoting College Student Outcomes

• In Event: 65.037 - Motivation, Purpose, and College Student Outcomes

Abstract

Establishing purpose in life is widely regarded as an essential component of college student non-cognitive development. The present study investigates how searching for one’s purpose, having an established purpose, and the interaction between the two promote academic performance, postsecondary graduation, and life satisfaction in a diverse sample of college students over two years beginning in their junior year. Results show that having an established purpose during junior year predicts later academic performance, with trends for graduation and life satisfaction for those low in searching for purpose. Searching for purpose during junior year only showed a trend toward increased later life satisfaction for those low in presence of purpose. Implications for practice in college student development are discussed.

Author

• Matthew J. Bundick, Duquesne University