Perceived social support as predictor of university adjustment, and academic achievement amongst first year undergraduates in a Malaysian public unversity

Purpose – This study was conducted to examine relationships between perceived social support, university adjustment and academic achievement of first semester students enrolled in various undergraduate programs in a Malaysian public university. Methodology – This study employed a quantitative approa...

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Main Authors: Abdullah, Maria Chong, Kong, Luo Lan, Talib, Abd Rahim
Format: Article
Published: Universiti Utara Malaysia Press 2014
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/34862/
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author Abdullah, Maria Chong
Kong, Luo Lan
Talib, Abd Rahim
author_facet Abdullah, Maria Chong
Kong, Luo Lan
Talib, Abd Rahim
author_sort Abdullah, Maria Chong
building UPM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Purpose – This study was conducted to examine relationships between perceived social support, university adjustment and academic achievement of first semester students enrolled in various undergraduate programs in a Malaysian public university. Methodology – This study employed a quantitative approach with a descriptive correlation design to address the research objectives. The adapted version of the “Interpersonal Support Evaluation List” (1985) and the “Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire” (1999) were used to assess students’ perceived social support and university adjustment respectively. A total of 250 first year undergraduates were selected as respondents using cluster random sampling technique. Findings – Findings revealed a significant and positive relationship between students’ perceived social support and their overall university adjustment as well as all the four adjustment dimensions namely academic adjustment, social adjustment, personal-emotional adjustment, attachment to university, and academic achievement. Results also indicated that students’ overall university adjustment and academic achievement were significant and positively predicted by social support. Significance – This study provides important evidence for undergraduates, lecturers, university administrators, and the community at large regarding the important role of social support in university adjustment and academic performance. It is suggested that a university should provide support services to assist new undergraduates to overcome their adjustment problems.
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spelling upm-348622015-12-23T04:45:32Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/34862/ Perceived social support as predictor of university adjustment, and academic achievement amongst first year undergraduates in a Malaysian public unversity Abdullah, Maria Chong Kong, Luo Lan Talib, Abd Rahim Purpose – This study was conducted to examine relationships between perceived social support, university adjustment and academic achievement of first semester students enrolled in various undergraduate programs in a Malaysian public university. Methodology – This study employed a quantitative approach with a descriptive correlation design to address the research objectives. The adapted version of the “Interpersonal Support Evaluation List” (1985) and the “Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire” (1999) were used to assess students’ perceived social support and university adjustment respectively. A total of 250 first year undergraduates were selected as respondents using cluster random sampling technique. Findings – Findings revealed a significant and positive relationship between students’ perceived social support and their overall university adjustment as well as all the four adjustment dimensions namely academic adjustment, social adjustment, personal-emotional adjustment, attachment to university, and academic achievement. Results also indicated that students’ overall university adjustment and academic achievement were significant and positively predicted by social support. Significance – This study provides important evidence for undergraduates, lecturers, university administrators, and the community at large regarding the important role of social support in university adjustment and academic performance. It is suggested that a university should provide support services to assist new undergraduates to overcome their adjustment problems. Universiti Utara Malaysia Press 2014 Article PeerReviewed Abdullah, Maria Chong and Kong, Luo Lan and Talib, Abd Rahim (2014) Perceived social support as predictor of university adjustment, and academic achievement amongst first year undergraduates in a Malaysian public unversity. Malaysian Journal of Learning and Instruction, 11. pp. 59-73. ISSN 1675-8110; ESSN: 2180-2483 http://www.mjli.uum.edu.my/index.php/previous-issues/133-malaysian-journal-of-learning-and-instruction-mjli-vol-11-2014
spellingShingle Abdullah, Maria Chong
Kong, Luo Lan
Talib, Abd Rahim
Perceived social support as predictor of university adjustment, and academic achievement amongst first year undergraduates in a Malaysian public unversity
title Perceived social support as predictor of university adjustment, and academic achievement amongst first year undergraduates in a Malaysian public unversity
title_full Perceived social support as predictor of university adjustment, and academic achievement amongst first year undergraduates in a Malaysian public unversity
title_fullStr Perceived social support as predictor of university adjustment, and academic achievement amongst first year undergraduates in a Malaysian public unversity
title_full_unstemmed Perceived social support as predictor of university adjustment, and academic achievement amongst first year undergraduates in a Malaysian public unversity
title_short Perceived social support as predictor of university adjustment, and academic achievement amongst first year undergraduates in a Malaysian public unversity
title_sort perceived social support as predictor of university adjustment, and academic achievement amongst first year undergraduates in a malaysian public unversity
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/34862/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/34862/