Examining the Impact of First-Year College Student Academic Programming on Social Connectedness, Thoughts of Suicide and Self-Injurious Behaviors

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

3:30 PM – 4:00 PM East Coast USA Time

Location: Gina Knee Room, 4th Floor, Tower 402

Presenter(s)

Justina M. Harsche, M.S. in Experimental Psychology from Georgia Southern University; B.A. in Psychology (with a minor in special education) from Loyola University Maryland

Doctoral Student
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida, United States
Marty A. Swanbrow Becker, PhD in Educational Psychology (with a specialization in Counseling Psychology) from The University of Texas, M.A. in Educational Psychology from The University of Texas, JD in Law from Cornell University, B.S. in Finance from the University of Maryland (he/him/his)

Associate Professor
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida, United States
Alex Negrin-Perea, MS in Health Psychology (she/her/hers)

Doctoral Student
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida, United States

Body of Abstract: The transition from high school to college or university can be a time of anxiety as students may move from their hometown, live on their own for the first time, take on more and often, complex responsibilities, and balance the increased workload with a possible job. Given students’ greater reports of having suicidal thoughts and behaviors, colleges and universities have developed programs to help these students adjust to college life and to adulthood. Previous studies, however, have provided contradictory evidence regarding the impacts on academic and social outcomes as a result of these programs.

Research

Aims: This study sought to examine the differences between the academic programs that do and do not appear to support student connectedness to identify their differences and ways to make the transition to college more effective in helping young adults thrive and succeed during their time of higher education.

Methods: Using online survey data collected from 328 undergraduate students at a large public university in the southeast during the summer of 2023, we examined the hypothesis that first-year academic programming would increase students’ feelings of connectedness during this transitionary period and, as a result, decrease thoughts of suicide and self-harm in this vulnerable population.

Results: Based on our current research, not all first-year programs are equal in helping incoming students feel connected to their campus, peers, faculty, and outside supports. More specifically, while feeling connected to one's academic program was found to negatively correlate with thoughts of suicide and self-harm, individual programs did not significantly differ in decreasing thoughts of suicide and self-harm. However, some of these programs (e.g., the honors program, enrolling in a leadership (LDR) course, and attending academic advising) positively correlated with social connectedness.

Conclusions: It is critical to examine the differences between the programs that do and do not appear to support connectedness to identify their differences and ways to make the transition to college more effective in helping young adults thrive and succeed during their time of higher education.

Tracks/subcategories: Prevention

IRB Statement: this study was approved by Florida State University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB).

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participants will be able to analyze the relationship between social disconnectedness and thoughts of suicide and self-harm (Ali & Gibson, 2019).
Upon completion, participants will be able to appraise the impact of college and university programming on social connectedness for first-year college students (Martin, 2017).
Upon completion, participants will be able to compare different first-year programming and analyze factors within these programs that impact connectedness, and thoughts of suicide and self-harm (Korstange et al., 2020).