A study of adjustment problems of first year students at Memorial University of Newfoundland

Harnett, A. John. (1977) A study of adjustment problems of first year students at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to discover whether there were differences in the adjustment of freshmen to Memorial University of Newfoundland during the first semester of studies in terms of overall adjustment, specific problem areas and differences in adjustment between rural and urban students. -- One hundred and thirty-six urban, and 137 rural students were tested in this investigation. These students were randomly enrolled in an Introductory Psychology course during the 1973-74 academic year at Memorial University. Once a week for each of the twelve weeks of the first semester, a different class was administered the Mooney Problem Check List (MPCL) in order to discover the problems which the freshmen experienced throughout the semester. -- The results of the MPCL were then analyzed in an attempt to answer each research question. To determine whether there were differences in adjustment over the semester, the total number of problems indicated was plotted on a graph and discussed. In order to discover whether there were some specific areas giving more problems than most, the scores for each area were plotted and those which appeared higher than the majority were discussed. Finally, to determine whether there were differences in adjustment between urban and rural students, a T-test was performed on the scores for each subscale of the MPCL for each week. -- The results obtained indicated there were differences in adjustment over the semester with weeks 1 through 4 showing an increasing number of problems, weeks 5 through 8 a relatively stable number of problems, week 9 showing a drop, and weeks 10 through 12 showing an increase, with week 12 showing the largest number of problems. At different times throughout the semester a number of problem areas were more predominant than others, the most notable being (1) Social and Recreational Activities, and (2) Adjustment to College Work. When urban and rural students were compared, a relatively large number of significant differences were found; however, the only consistent finding which appeared was that urban students almost always indicated more problems than rural students. -- The conclusion was that there were differences in adjustment throughout the semester generally and in specific areas; and, where significant differences existed, urban students scored higher.

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