title: Family conflict and academic performance of first-year Asian American undergraduates.
abstract: This three-study investigation examined risk and protective factors for poor academic performance among Asian American first-year undergraduates. Students were surveyed prior to starting college and their GPA was collected after their first semester in college. Family conflict as a significant risk factor for poor academic performance was examined in all three studies. The results indicate that higher family conflict prior to college was related to lower first-semester college GPA, after controlling for standardized test scores and high school rank (Studies 1-3). Even though psychological distress was related to both family conflict and GPA, it did not mediate the relationship between family conflict and GPA (Studies 2 and 3). In terms of protective factors, the results indicate that life satisfaction buffered the negative effects of family conflict on first-semester college GPA (Study 3). Together, these findings support the need to take into account family variables and psychological well-being in the academic performance of Asian American students as they transition from high school to college.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, USA. bahra003@umn.edu
authors.forename: Nazneen F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Bahrassa
authors.forename: Moin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Syed
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Richard M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D000293:Adolescent; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology*; D002140:California; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005191:Family Characteristics; D054541:Family Conflict / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult