This mixed methods study examined the impact of grit and self-efficacy and the factors of these constructs on the performance of at-risk, developmental placement students, surveying 184 first-year students before the midterm point of their first semester. Following the quantitative portion, six upperclassmen, who had started their careers in the…

Non-medical prescription drug use (NMPDU) is common among adolescents and young adults (AYAs) nationwide, with 14.4% reporting misuse in the past year. Little is known about characteristics of college students using NMPDU, including other substance use, such as hookah and tobacco, gender identity, and self-efficacy. The purpose of this study was…

Machine learning models were constructed to predict student performance in an introductory mechanics class at a large land-grant university in the United States using data from 2061 students. Students were classified as either being at risk of failing the course (earning a D or F) or not at risk (earning an A, B, or C). The models focused on…

College students' mental health concerns have dramatically increased in prevalence and severity over the past decade, overwhelming the capacity of counseling centers to meet demand for services. In response, institutions of higher education (IHEs) increasingly emphasize prevention, education, and outreach efforts aimed at improving well-being.…

This qualitative study assesses the influence of a college-level intervention program on its student participants' self-efficacy. Self-efficacy theory provides an essential foundational lens for this study as it provides the necessary sources to broaden an intervention program's plans from students' individualized experiences. Study participants…

Background/Context: Low-income, racially minoritized, and first-generation college students (at-promise students) attending predominantly White, middle class institutions often face inequitable access to enriching educational opportunities, discrimination, and marginalization, creating barriers to their success. Institutions are increasingly…

This study examines how academic coaching influenced at-risk college students' academic performance. Academic coaching places one student with a trained academic coach, who attempts to outline an academic plan with the student. The student contracts with the academic coach and they meet biweekly to assess progress and to discuss experiences and…

This study explored the various types of suicide prevention gatekeeper training programs implemented on college campuses through a meta-analytic review. One hundred eighty-four effect sizes were calculated from 53 studies to explore seven outcomes of interest: (1) Knowledge of Suicide, (2) Knowledge of Gatekeeper Skills (GK), (3) Appropriateness,…

This brief pedagogical essay, focusing on social science classrooms, provides fellow instructors with practical strategies and advice in reducing the presence of stereotype threat in their classrooms. Techniques of task reframing, practices of positive affirmation, the providing of constructive criticism, the incorporation of marginalized groups…

Objective: Training programs exist that prepare college students, faculty, and staff to identify and support students potentially at risk for suicide. Kognito is an online program that trains users through simulated interactions with virtual humans. This study evaluated Kognito's effectiveness in preparing users to intervene with at-risk students.…

This study examined the levels of self-efficacy and hope of the students at-risk that participated in a college program with multiple retention initiatives. The students selected were identified as students at-risk due to their high school GPAs and standardized test scores. The initiative focused on enhancing their self-efficacy and hope through…

The following report summarizes critical lessons learned from case studies conducted by ATD examining how adaptive courseware is implemented at public community colleges as well as how courseware is used in particular disciplines to better serve students. The lessons learned represent the work of hundreds of faculty and staff, and administrators…

The current study reports findings from a small randomized controlled trial of Project FUTURES, a post-secondary support and retention program for college students with foster care experience and self-identified mental health concerns. The FUTURES model is adapted from Better Futures, which was a post-secondary access program for high school…

Hispanic college students are more at risk of poor academic performance and dropping out than any other racial group. The Hispanic college population continues to grow, yet rates of retention and achievement for this group continue to decline. Previous research on Hispanic college students has examined factors that contribute to underachievement…

Homelessness is an increasing epidemic afflicting the United States. Of the millions of homeless in the United States, over two million are children (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2009; Slesnick, Dashora, Letcher, Erden, & Serocivh, 2009). It is reported that over 1.2 million of homeless students are enrolled in public schools…