“I don’t deserve here”: a case study on Hong Kong first-generation undergraduates’ well-being

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 11:45 am - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Global learning and advancing student success

Abstract

This paper examines the well-being of Hong Kong first-generation undergraduate students, who are the first in their families to pursue higher education. They navigate unique challenges shaped by the competitive academic environment and deep-rooted cultural expectations. The study introduces the Wellness, Assets, and Readiness Model (WARM), a comprehensive framework based on a holistic well-being concept that connects to academic success and assets. It took two rounds of in-depth qualitative interviews with 50 first-generation undergraduates from a Hong Kong public university. The findings reveal how filial piety, family honor, and meritocratic pressures influence students' well-being, highlighting the need for culturally responsive supports. It recommends comprehensive well-being interventions embracing students' diverse cultures, and contributes to student development literatures under hybrid cultural contexts.

Author

• Clive Ka-lun Lee, The University of Hong Kong