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Managing the Transition: The Role of Optimism and Self-Efficacy for First-Year Australian University Students

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 December 2013

Stephen Morton ,
Amanda Mergler  and
Peter Boman
Stephen Morton
Affiliation:
St Eugene College, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Amanda Mergler*
Affiliation:
Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Peter Boman
Affiliation:
Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
*
address for correspondence: Dr Amanda Mergler, Lecturer of Educational Psychology, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove QLD 4059, Australia. Email: a.mergler@qut.edu.au
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Abstract

Students making the transition from high school to university often encounter many stressors and new experiences. Many students adjust successfully to university; however, some students do not, often resulting in attrition from the university and mental health issues. The primary aim of the current study was to examine the effects that optimism, self-efficacy, depression, and anxiety have on an individual's life stress and adaptation to university. Eighty-four first-year, full-time students from the Queensland University of Technology (60 female, 24 male) who had entered university straight from high school completed the study. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing their levels of optimism, self-efficacy, depression, anxiety, perceived level of life stress and adaptation to university. In line with predictions, results showed that optimism, depression, and anxiety each had a significant relationship with students’ perceived level of stress. Furthermore, self-efficacy and depression had a significant relationship with adaptation to university. We conclude that students with high levels of optimism and low levels of depression and anxiety will adapt better when making the transition from high school to university. In addition, students with high levels of self-efficacy and low levels of depression will experience less life stress in their commencement year of university. The implications of this study are outlined.

Keywords

optimismhigher educationtransitionadaptationlife stressmental health
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools , Volume 24 , Issue 1 , June 2014 , pp. 90 - 108
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Australian Academic Press Pty Ltd 2013 

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