Developmental theory describes the central importance of peer relationships in the lives of young adults (e.g., Erikson, 1963). In this study we tested the importance of peer relationships to academic outcomes. First-year undergraduates completed a self-report survey to indicate the number and closeness of their friendships. We compared these…

Increasingly organizations are recognizing the value of establishing close relationships with their customers. Despite this, research has not deeply explored how the intangible aspects of relational exchange such as customer satisfaction, as well as affective commitment, calculative commitment, and trust, combine to determine loyalty in the…

This study examined the degree to which mentoring highly aggressive children was associated with changes in mentors' attitudes, personality, and attachment tendencies. Participants were 102 college students who each mentored an aggressive, high-risk child across three academic semesters (spring, fall, spring). We examined pre- to post-mentoring…

This study investigated aspects of construct validity for the scores of a new long-distance romantic relationship measure. A single-factor structure of the long-distance romantic relationship index emerged, with convergent and discriminant evidence of external validity, high internal consistency reliability, and applied utility of the scores.…

A model focused on protege anxious attachment and feedback in mentoring relationships was tested with a sample of matched doctoral student proteges and their faculty mentors. Results show that protege anxious attachment was associated with less feedback seeking and less feedback acceptance. Protege feedback acceptance was associated with both the…

Colleges and universities should never underestimate the power of special, transformational, and even sacred spaces on their campuses. Such spaces help create lasting relationships between students and institutions, but too often colleges overlook the influential role that campus landscape can play. Universities are products of history and…

Residential neighborhoods adjacent to a higher education institution are home to diverse groups of people who share neither a common sense of community (McMillan & Chavis, 1986) nor the same degree of attachment to place (Low & Altman, 1992). These neighborhoods are characterized by transience and a lack of cohesion. They are highly prized…

The purpose of this study was to explore the quality of the parent-adult child attachment relationship by examining students' perceptions of how their parents support them and facilitate their independence while they are in college. A total of 58 third-year students participated in an online interview via synchronous chat technology. Our findings…

The study examined interrelationships between attachment, social self-efficacy, career decision-making self-efficacy, and life satisfaction. Social cognitive career theory and attachment theory were integrated to provide a framework for this study. A conceptual model was proposed and tested to determine if social self-efficacy and career decision…

The association between a history of child sexual abuse (CSA) and specific negative outcomes (attachment, feelings of power, and self-esteem) was explored as was the relationship between those negative outcomes and sexual victimization during the first semester of college. Two groups of freshman college women (67 who had experienced CSA and 55 who…

Counselor development has been conceptualized as a gradual progression from the cognitive, technical, and relational rigidity of novices to the optimally effective cognitions, interventions, and therapeutic alliances of master practitioners (Hogan, 1964; Loganbill, Hardy, & Delworth, 1982; Skovholt & Ronnestad, 1992a; Stoltenberg, 1981).…

This dissertation was written in partial fulfillment of the doctoral degree requirements in Counseling Psychology at Capella University. This study was interested in exploring the growing population of nontraditionally aged college students. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that correlated with the academic success of this group…

Hooking up, or casual "no strings attached" sexual encounters, has become the normative heterosexual relationship on college campuses. This phenomenon has only recently received public attention. Many citizens have become alarmed that this trend is indicative of moral decline in our culture, a reflection of our hypersexualized media, and a…

Individuals coping with the chronic or terminal illness of a family member are presented with a unique challenge that may influence their adjustment and overall well-being. This study investigated variables that relate to college adjustment and subjective well-being, including attachment, social support, coping, and illness-related constructs, in…

The developmental trajectory of body image dissatisfaction is unclear. Researchers have investigated sociocultural and developmental risk factors; however, the literature needs an integrative etiological model. In 2009, Cheng and Mallinckrodt proposed a dual mediation model, positing that poor-quality parental bonds, via the mechanisms of…