First-Generation College Student Identity and Well-Being

• In Event: Identity Development Among Minoritized and Marginalized Populations

Abstract

First-generation college students (FGCS) comprise approximately 56% of the U.S. post-secondary institution population, yet they face substantially more academic (Cataldi et al., 2018), financial (Furquim et al., 2017), and other unique stressors (Covarrubias et al., 2020; Ellis et al., 2019) relative to their continuing-generation peers. Although existing work focused on risk factors that account for these disparities has been promising, it is also important to identify protective factors that may ameliorate these disparities. Given that healthy identity development is positively associated with well-being and psychosocial functioning in emerging adults (Meca et al., in press), research has begun to examine identity in FGCS. Prior research indicated that FGCS differed in how salient and central being a FGCS is to their sense of self and how these differences impact general functioning (Orbe, 2004). However, this research on FGCS identity was qualitative with a small sample size, making results less generalizable to larger populations. Moreover, there is currently no valid quantitative FGCS identity measure.

The goal of this study was to adapt, validate, and establish factorial measurement invariance across Black and White FGCS for a multidimensional quantitative measure of FGCS identity. The sample included 425 current FGCS (81.2% female; Mage=24.4 years, SD=8.0). First, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to verify the four-factor structure (i.e., FGCS identity exploration, resolution, affirmation, and centrality) in comparison to two previously established identity measures (MIBI; Sellers et al., 1997; EIS; Umaña-Taylor et al., 2004). The second step included testing measurement invariance through multigroup CFA models to determine factorial invariance across Black and White FGCS. Results yielded a 17-item four-factor FGCS identity scale (see Table 1) with good model fit [CFI = 0.962, RMSEA = 0.052, SRMR = 0.050] and was associated with good internal consistency scores (α=.78-.91). The FGCS identity scale was also marked by metric [ΔCFI = .001, ΔRMSEA = .002, ΔSRMR = -.010] and scalar [ΔCFI = -.010, ΔRMSEA = -.004, ΔSRMR = -.009] invariance across Black and White FGCS. Latent mean difference analysis indicated that White FGCS reported significantly lower FGCS identity exploration (x̄=-0.29, p<.05) and FGCS identity centrality (x̄=-0.55, p<.001) than Black FGCS. Lastly, FGCS identity resolution and centrality were positively associated with self-esteem, satisfaction with life, and psychological well-being, whereas FGCS identity affirmation was only positively associated with satisfaction with life and psychological well-being (see Table 2).

This study advances the literature on FGCS by adapting and validating a multidimensional measure of FGCS identity that is invariant across Black and White FGCS. As such, future research can quantitatively explore FGCS identity differences among FGCS and across these ethnic/racial groups. While Black and White FGCS have different experiences based on their ethnic/racial background, these findings suggest that FGCS status is also an important social identity to their development and students may experience FGCS identity development more similarly than not. Findings also demonstrated that FGCS identity was associated with better well-being. Thus, future research may explore FGCS identity as an asset to FGCS, challenging the common deficit views of this population.

Authors

• Kelsie Allison, Old Dominion University
  Presenting Author

• Alan Meca, University of Texas at San Antonio

• Tony Perez, Old Dominion University

• Taryn Veniegas, The University of Texas at San Antonio