ADULT STUDENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF EDUCATIONAL BARRIERS DEMOGRAPHIC AND METACOGNITIVE FACTORS By MARTHA RUSSELL BIREDA A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 1987
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ADULT STUDENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF EDUCATIONAL BARRIERSDEMOGRAPHIC AND METACOGNITIVE FACTORS
By
MARTHA RUSSELL BIREDA
A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OFTHE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THEDEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
1987
Copyright 1987
by
Martha Russell Bireda
Dedicated
To my Father
Alonzo Russell(1918-1984)
and
My Grandmother
Martha Andrews(1902-1984)
Who through their examples havechallenged me to grow and to give
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This project was made possible through the
encouragement and support of many individuals. Time and
space do not permit me to list each individual by name;
however, I am sincerely grateful to all of them.
I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Roderick
McDavis, my chairman, who believed in me and helped me to
see beyond the barriers. His continued guidance and
encouragement have enabled me to bring this project to
fruition. I value his friendship and I have the highest
respect for his professionalism. Sincere appreciation is
extended to my committee members, Dr. Hannelore Wass and Dr.
Paul Fitzgerald. Dr. Wass helped me to put all things in
perspective on the first day that we met and has continued
to give me very good advice. Dr. Fitzgerald I thank for
being there for me; I always knew that I could depend on his
help.
Thanks are extended to Dr. Carl Hite, Hillsborough
Community College; Mr. Richard Taylor, University of South
Florida; Mr. Fred Colby, St. Leo College; and Dr. Suzanne
Nelson and Dr. Sue McCord, University of Tampa, for the
time, patience, and assistance given me in conducting the
necessary activities to enable this project to be a success.
I am indebted to Sharon Woodbury, Linda Honey, and
Adele Koehler for typing. I also thank Sharon for her many
words of wisdom. I thank Jeff Kromrey (my computer analyst)
for his patience with my endless questions.
I owe thanks to my friends and colleagues who have
encouraged me throughout this project. I especially thank
Norma and Arva who became my counselors during this process.
In conclusion, I would like to thank my family, whose
love and sacrifices have made this possible. I thank my
mother, Bernice, for the love and guidance that have brought
me to this point in my life. I thank my aunt, Ruth, and my
uncle, Gaston, who have been constant sources of
encouragement and support for me. Most of all, I thank the
two people who are most dear to me, my children, Jaha and
Saba. They never lost faith in me nor patience with me.
Their love gave me the strength to persist. They are very
special and I am very fortunate.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv
ABSTRACT viii
CHAPTER
I INTRODUCTION 1
Statement of the Problem 1
Purpose of the Study 9
Need for Study 10Significance of the Study 12Definition of Terms 13Organization of the Study 15
II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 17
Categorization of Barriers 18Barriers to Matriculating Adult Students 23Social Problem Solving 32Summary 36
III METHODOLOGY 39
Research Questions 39Population and Sample 40Instruments 41Procedures 47Analyses of Data 48Limitations of the Study 50
IV RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 52
Results 52Discussion 64
V CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS, SUMMARY, ANDRECOMMENDATIONS 70
Conclusions 70Implications 71Summary 74Recommendations for Further Research 76
Page
APPENDICES
A LETTERS TO INSTRUCTORS FROM ADULT PROGRAMDIRECTOR 7 8
B ADULT STUDENT EXPERIENCE SURVEY 79
C PROBLEM-SOLVING INVENTORY 87
D SCORING THE PSI 91
E RESEARCH AND ADMINISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS 92
REFERENCES 94
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 100
Abstract of Dissertation Presented to the Graduate Schoolof the University of Florida in partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
ADULT STUDENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF EDUCATIONAL BARRIERS:DEMOGRAPHIC AND METACOGNITIVE FACTORS
by
Martha Russell Bireda
August 1987
Chairman: Dr. Roderick McDavisMajor Department: Counselor Education
The purpose of this study was to investigate
differences in types and severity of barriers reported by
adult students on the bases of age, gender, marital status,
and family status. Also examined were the relationships
between self-appraised problem-solving abilities and the
types and severity of barriers reported by adult students.
A total of 222 degree-seeking, undergraduate, adult
students (25 years and older) participated in this study.
Of that number, 68 were male and 154 female. The students
were drawn from a simple random sample of classes offered in
adult programs at the University of South Florida,
University of Tampa, and St. Leo College. The Adult Student
Experience Survey (ASES) and the Problem-Solving inventory
(PSI) were administered to these students during the fall
1986 and spring 1987 semesters.
A one-way ANOVA with repeated measures on barrier type
indicated significant differences in adult students'
severity ratings for institutional, situational, and
dispositional barriers (p < .05). A two-way mixed design
ANOVA with repeated measures on barrier type showed that
there were significant differences in the severity ratings
for institutional, situational, and dispositional barriers
on the basis of gender (p < .05).
Two-way mixed design ANOVAs indicated no significant
differences in the severity ratings for institutional,
situational, and dispositional barriers on the bases of age,
marital status, and family status. First-order Pearson-
Product Moment correlations indicated weak relationships
between self-appraised problem-solving abilities and adult
students' severity ratings for institutional, situational,
and dispositional barriers.
According to the results of this study, adult students
perceived situational barriers to be most severe; and adult
female students perceived institutional, situational, and
dispositional barriers to be more severe than did adult male
students
.
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Statement of the Problem
The American college population has changed
dramatically in the past decade. One of the most
significant factors influencing this change has been the
increase in the enrollment of adult students. In 1982,
almost five million adults 25 years of age and older
enrolled in institutions of higher education (Plisko,
1984) .
Adult student enrollment is expected to continue to
increase through at least 1990. It is projected that the
number of older students enrolled in colleges and
universities will increase by 1.1 million between 1980 and
1990. By 1990, if current trends continue, older students
will constitute 47% of all college enrollments (Grant &
Snyder, 1983), which means that there will be as many older
as traditional-aged students enrolled in college.
This growth in the adult college student population
will be influenced by a combination of social,
technological, and demographic changes. First, social
changes, such as the movement toward a "blended versus
linear" life plan, the increase in educational attainment,
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changing career patterns, increased leisure, the changing
roles of women, and the concept of equal opportunity, will
influence adult participation in adult learning activities.
in addition, increasing numbers of adults will return to
classrooms as a result of technological change and the
"knowledge explosion" (Cross, 1981).
Demographic shifts will result in larger numbers of
adults 25 years and older in the population. It is
estimated that by 1990, the 1946 through 1960 birth cohorts,
or the "baby boom generation" will dominate the 25 through
34 and 35 through 44 age groups (Frankel & Gerald, 1982).
Adults in some segments of these age ranges, e.g., 25
through 34 years, will be in the prime age range for adult
education participation (Cross, 1981).
in contrast, the pool from which colleges draw their
traditional students is getting smaller. The Carnegie
Council on Policy Studies in Higher Education (1980)
predicted a 23% decline in the 18- through 24-year-old
college-bound group by 1997. This decline in younger
students has spurred the recruitment of adults by colleges.
As the pool of traditional-aged students has begun to
decrease, colleges have begun to regard the adult student
population as a means of maintaining stable enrollments
(Weather ford , 1979) and as a new source of revenue
(Graulich, 1977) . It can be expected that colleges will
continue to actively recruit adults, and that adults 25
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years and older will play a major role in determining future
college enrollments.
The importance of this new student constituency
requires that institutions begin to consider how well adult
students are served. Institutions that wish to attract and
retain adult students must become more responsive to the
et al . , 1980; Letchworth, 1970). A majority of the
participants in this study reported no problems related to
spouse/family support for their attending school or
spouse/family acceptance of the demands of the student role.
In addition, a majority of the participants perceived no
problems related to receiving help with household
responsibilities. Almost half of the participants in this
study (44.6%) were under 35 years of age. It is possible
that these participants and their spouses were less
constrained by traditional attitudes related to male and
female roles.
Family status does not appear to have a significant
effect on adult students' severity ratings for
institutional, situational, and dispositional barriers.
This finding is also surprising. Problems related to
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children, e.g., lack of childcare, resistance from children,
and guilt about leaving children, have been reported in the
literature (Brandenburg, 1974; Galliano & Gildea, 1982;
Geisler & Thrust, 1975; Lance et al . , 1979). One plausible
explanation for this finding is that 43.7% of the
participants in this study had no dependent children living
in their homes. Those participants who did have dependent
children living at home rated items pertaining to finding
time to study and having a suitable study environment as
being most troublesome. Another possible explanation for
this finding is that the combination of family status with
other variables such as marital status or sex, rather than
family status alone, influenced the perception of
barriers
.
There are only weak, positive relationships between
self-appraised problem-solving abilities and adult students'
severity ratings for institutional, situational, and
dispositional, and total barriers. The strongest
relationships were between dispositional barriers and the
PSI factors of problem solving confidence, approach-
avoidance style, personal control, and total. A plausible
explanation for this finding is that both the PSI and the
dispositional barrier subscale measure constructs that are
related to personality variables. It would also seem that
perceptions of oneself as an individual who can adjust to
new roles and environments would be related to perceptions
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of trust in one's ability to solve problems, to search for
solutions, and to maintain self-control.
The findings of this study appear to support the
contention that situational barriers are most troublesome
for adult students. Adult female students perceive more
barriers to be troublesome than do adult male students.
Age, marital status, and family status do not significantly
affect adult students' severity ratings of institutional,
situational, and dispositional barriers. Self-appraised
problem-solving abilities are weakly related to adult
students' severity ratings of barriers.
CHAPTER VCONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS, SUMMARY, AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
Conclusions
Based on the results of this study, the following
conclusions are drawn:
1. Adult students perceive situational barriers to be
more severe than either institutional or dispositional
barriers. Similarly, institutional barriers are perceived
to be more severe than dispositional barriers.
2. Adult female students perceive institutional,
situational, and dispositional barriers to be more
severe than do adult male students.
3. Age alone does not affect adult students'
perceptions of the severity of institutional, situational,
and dispositional barriers.
4. Marital status alone does not affect adult
students' perceptions of the severity of institutional,
situational, and dispositional barriers.
5. Family status alone does not affect adult students'
perceptions of the severity of institutional, situational,
and dispositional barriers.
6. There are generally weak relationships between
self-appraised problem-solving abilities and adult students'
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petceptions of the severity of institutional, situational,
and dispositional barriers. Among the strongest of these
relationships are those existing between self-appraised
problem-solving abilities and dispositional barriers.
Impl ications
One implication of this study is that most adult
students find the student role to be satisfying. The adult
students studied reported that they enjoy being students.
Generally, they also believed that the courses they were
taking were relevant to their career, intellectual, and
personal goals. The adult students were highly motivated
and believed that getting a degree was worth the effort
involved
.
A second implication is that despite the barriers faced
by adult students they generally persist until the
completion of their degree programs. Seventy-two percent of
the participants in this study were upper-level students.
Eighty-five percent of the participants expected to continue
to enroll in courses. It appears that when situations
become extremely stressful, adult students stop out, but
return to eventually complete their degree programs.
A third implication is that adult programs are
generally meeting the needs of adult students. Adaptations
in university policies and procedures have a positive
effect. Classes offered at worksites, on-site
registrations, and flexible admission requirements have
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decreased the number of institutional barriers that adult
students face. Institutional leaders must continue,
however, to find innovative ways to provide services for
adult students.
A fourth implication is that the most common barriers
to adult students' adjustment to and satisfaction with the
student role are related to life situations. Adult students
face situational barriers more often than institutional or
dispositional barriers. Administrators and faculty must
become more sensitive to how life issues affect adult
students. Student personnel professionals must design
programs and provide services that address problems unique
to adult students. Programs and services for adult students
must emphasize strategies for reducing or eliminating the
effects of situational barriers.
A fifth implication is that employers must be made
aware of the needs and problems faced by adult students.
Job-related responsibilities and demands are perceived by
adult students to be the most troublesome areas. While
employers provide financial support for students in the form
of tuition reimbursement they are less likely to allow
flexibility in working hours or job responsibilities. Adult
students face a tremendous amount of stress related to
meeting the demands of working and going to school. Adult
program staff must provide orientations for employers as
well as students so that both are made aware of the demands
of the student role.
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A sixth implication is that special efforts to meet the
needs of re-entry women must continue. Adult female
students appear to be a high-risk group as a result of the
number of barriers that they face. Adult female students
continue to face more barriers than do adult male students.
Adult female students are beginning to face many of the
barriers that have previously been experienced more often by
males. Special programs such as women's re-entry programs
should be continued.
A last implication is that student services are not
adequately meeting the needs of adult students enrolled in
adult programs. Generally, the adult students studied were
not aware of the services that were available. Few adult
students felt that the services were available and
accessible when they were on campus. Adult students also do
not believe that they receive an adequate orientation to the
student role. Student personnel professionals must conduct
outreach programs for adult students enrolled in adult
programs. They must work closely with adult program staffs
to provide the type of services needed by adult students.
Orientation programs must not only provide information about
campus life, but must also adequately prepare adults for the
unique problems that they will face.
Adult students must be informed of the services that
are available for them, and these services must be provided
at accessible times for adult students. Innovative delivery
systems must be developed. Programming for adult students
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might be provided at worksites during lunch hours or after
work. Audio and video tape libraries might be used to
present information that is usually presented in workshops.
Newsletters and other printed materials may be used to
provide information for adult students.
Summary
Adult students have become a very important student
constituency in recent years. In many institutions, the
adult population has helped to stabilize enrollments and to
provide a new source of revenue. Institutional leaders
that are interested in attracting and retaining adult
students are depending upon student personnel professionals
to provide services that meet the needs of this important
student group. Investigating the barriers faced by adult
students is one way to begin the process of providing better
services for adult students. The purpose of this study was
to investigate differences in types and severity of barriers
reported by adult students on the bases of age, gender,
marital status, and family status. Also examined were the
relationships between self-appraised problem-solving
abilities and the types of severity of barriers reported by
adult students. The statement of the problem, purpose of
the study, need for the study, significance of the study,
definition of terms, and organization of the study were
presented in Chapter I.
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Chapter II contained a review of literature related to
barriers experienced by adult students and social problem
solving. The areas included in Chapter II were
categorization of barriers and barriers experienced by
matriculating adult students. Studies of barriers
experienced by matriculating adult students included those
related to gender differences in the experience of barriers,
barriers experienced by re-entry women, and marital and
family status and the experience of barriers. The
relationship between social problem-solving appraisal and
social problem-solving skills was examined in studies
related to social problem solving.
The research questions, population and sample,
instruments, procedures, and analyses of data were described
in Chapter III. Several statistical analyses were performed
to determine if significance existed between and among
groups. An alpha level of .05 was set as the basis for
determining the significance of statistical computations and
correlations
.
The results and a discussion of those results were
presented in Chapter IV. Situational barriers were
perceived to be most severe by adult students, and adult
female students perceived institutional, situational, and
dispositional barriers to be more severe than did adult male
students. Age, marital status, and family status did not
affect adult students' severity ratings for institutional,
situational, and dispositional barriers. Self-appraised
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problem-solving abilities were weakly related to adult
students' perceptions of the severity of institutional,
situational, and dispositional barriers. Self-appraised
problem-solving abilities were weakly related to adult
students' perceptions of the severity of institutional,
situational, and dispositional barriers.
Recommendations for Further Research
Based on the results of this study, the following
research studies are suggested:
1. A study should be conducted to compare the barriers
reported by adult students enrolled in adult programs with
those reported by adults enrolled in mainstream classes. It
is possible that adults enrolled in mainstream classes may
face certain types of barriers more often than adults
enrolled in adult programs. A study of this type would
provide further support for the establishment of adult
programs, since these programs eliminate or at least reduce
the barriers faced by adult students.
2. A study should be conducted to determine the
barriers faced by adult students who either stop out or
drop out. The results of this study would provide
information about the types of barriers that tend to make
college attendance impossible for some adult students.
3. A study should be conducted to assess the barriers
faced by adult students from minority and lower
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socioeconomic groups. This type of study would help
institutional leaders determine how to attract and retain
larger numbers of adult students from minority and lower
socioeconomic groups.
4. A study should be conducted to measure the
effectiveness of problem-solving training on adult students'
perceptions of dispositional barriers. This study would
show the effectiveness of such an approach in counseling
adult students.
APPENDIX ALETTER TO INSTRUCTORS FROM
ADULT PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Dear
I am requesting your assistance in the implementationof a study involving our adult student population. Thesurvey is being conducted by Martha Bireda, a doctoralstudent in counselor education at the University of FloridaThe study will investigate the institutional, situational,and dispositional barriers faced by adult students enrolledin undergraduate programs.
Information obtained through this study will help ourinstitution to identify factors which may deter or limitadult matriculation and those adult students who may be inpotentially "high risk" categories. The results of thisstudy also will aid in the design of programs and servicesto better meet the needs of our adult students.
Your assistance is requested in administering twoquestionnaires to all students 25 years of age and olderin your class(es). It will take students approximately 30minutes to complete the questionnaires.
Thank you for your assistance with this study. Ms.Bireda will provide the results of the study during thespring term.
Sincerely,
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APPENDIX BADULT STUDENT EXPERIENCE SURVEY
The purpose of this survey is to collect information onthose factors that may affect your adjustment to andsatisfaction with the student role. We are also concernedwith any problems you may be facing in pursuing youracademic goals.
The information collected through this survey willassist your college or university to identify and betterunderstand the needs of individuals like yourself. Byanswering the following questions, you can assist collegeofficials in developing programs and services that betteraddress your needs.
The information you supply on this survey will be keptcompletely confidential. Individual students will not beidentified. please DO NOT write your name on thequestionnaire
.
PART I
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Directions: Circle the number beside your selected responseto each item. Select only ONE response foreach item. It is important that you respond toevery item.
CLASS LEVEL
1. Freshman2. Sophomore3. Junior4. Senior5. Special or non-degree seeking6. Other/unclassified
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2. NUMBER OF COURSE CREDITS CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN
1. 1 to 4 credits2. 5 to 8 credits3. 9 to 12 credits4. 13 to 16 credits5. 17 or more credits6. Not enrolled for credit
3. NUMBER OF YEARS SINCE PREVIOUS HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGEATTENDANCE BEFORE ENROLLING IN CURRENT PROGRAM
1. Less than 1 year2. 1 year3. 2-3 years4. 4-6 years5. 7-10 years6. More than 10 years
4. HIGHER LEVEL OF FORMAL EDUCATION
1. Elementary school2. High school/GED3. Vocational/Technical school4. Attended college (but did not complete degree)5. Associate Degree6. Bachelor's Degree7. M.A., Ph.D., or Professional Degree
5. SEX
1. Male2. Female
6. AGE
1. 25-342. 35-443. 45-544. 55 and over
7. RACIAL/ETHNIC GROUP
1. Afro-American/Black2. American Indian, Alaskan Native3. Caucasian-American/White4. Asian-American, Oriental, Pacific Islander5. Mexican-Amer ican/Chicano6. Puerto Rican, Cuban, Other Hispanic Origin7. Other
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8. MARITAL STATUS
1. Single (never married)2. Married3. Separated4. Divorced5. Widowed
9. NUMBER OF DEPENDENT CHILDREN CURRENTLY LIVING IN YOURHOME
1. None2. 1
3. 2
4. 3
5. 4 or more
10. EMPLOYMENT STATUS
1. Not employed2. Occasional employment3. Employed 1-10 hours per week4. Employed 11-20 hours per week5. Employed 21-30 hours per week6. Employed 31-40 hours per week7. Employed 41 or more hours per week
11. CURRENT ANNUAL FAMILY INCOME
1. Less than $10,0002. $10,000 to $20,0003. $20,000 to $30,0004. $30,000 to $40,0005. $40,000 to $50,0006. Over $50,000
12. FINANCIAL RESOURCES FOR EDUCATION
1. Personal income/family assistance2. Employer tuition reimbursement3. Loans/scholarships/grants4. Other
13. PLANS FOR NEXT SEMESTER
1. Expect to enroll in courses at this college/university
2. Expect to transfer to another college/university3. Will graduate this term4. Plan not to enroll in courses next semester, but at
some future date5. No plans for additional education at this time6. Undecided
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14. UNIVERSITY WHERE CURRENTLY ENROLLED
1. USF--Tampa2. St. Leo College3. University of Tampa
PART II
STUDENT EXPERIENCE
Directions: Please indicate the degree to which you agreeor disagree with each statement using thefollowing alternatives:
Purpose: This is not a test. There are no right or wronganswers. Rather, it is an inventory designed to find outhow people normally react to problems and events in theirdaily interactions. We are not talking about math orscience problems, but rather about personal problems thatcome up from time to time, such as feeling depressed,getting along with friends, choosing a vocation, or decidingwhether to get a divorce. Please respond to the items ashonestly as you can so as to most accurately portray how youhandle problems. Don't respond to the statements as youthink you should in order to solve problems— rather, respondto the statements as honestly as you can, and in such a wayso that you most accurately reflect how you actually behavewhen you solve problems. Ask yourself: Do I ever do thisbehavior?
Directions: Below is a list of 35 statements. Read eachstatement and then indicate the extent to which you agree ordisagree with that statement, using the followingalternatives
This inventory was developed by Dr. Paul Heppner and isreproduced by his permission and that of Journal ofCounseling Psychology , Amer . Psych. Assoc, May 21, 1985.
Copyright, 1982
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Read each statement and indicate the extent to which youagree or disagree with that statement, using the followingalternatives
25. Even though I work on a problem, sometimes I feellike I am groping or wandering, and am notgetting down to the real issue.
26. I make snap judgments and later regret them.
27. I trust my ability to solve new and difficultproblems.
28. I have a systematic method for comparingalternatives and making decisions.
29. When I try to think of ways of handling aproblem, I do not try to combine different ideastogether .
30. When confronted with a problem, I don't usuallyexamine what sort of external things in myenvironment may be contributing to my problem.
31. When I am confronted with a problem, one of thefirst things I do is survey the situation andconsider all the relevant pieces of information.
32. Sometimes I get so charged up emotionally that I
am unable to consider many ways of dealing withmy problem.
33. After making a decision, the outcome I expectedusually matches the actual outcomes.
34. When confronted with a problem, I am unsure ofwhether I can handle the situation.
35. When I become aware of a problem, one of thefirst things I do is to try to find out exactlywhat the problem is.
APPENDIX DSCORING THE PSI
Scoring the PSI is a matter of summing the responses to eachitem (1-6). Items 9, 22, and 29 are filler items and arenot to be scored in any way, simply omitted. Please notethat several items are worded negatively, and scoring theseitems must be reversed (i.e., 1=6,5=2, etc.)
.
Following is a list of the reversed items:
1
APPENDIX E
RESEARCH AND ADMINISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS
Each student 25 years and older will be provided with a
copy of the Adult Student Experience Survey and the Problem-Solving Inventory.
Directions for Group Administration
"I have been asked to help in conducting a study whichexamines the experiences of adult students.
I would like each of you to fill out two question-naires. The first is the Adult Student Experience Surveywhich asks basic questions about your background and asksyou to indicate the extent to which you agree or disagreewith a list of statements. The second questionnaire is theProblem Solving inventory. This inventory is designed tofind out how people normally react to problems and events intheir daily interactions. It will take you approximately 30minutes to complete the questionnaires."
Pass the Questionnaires : (Pass each set of questionnaires;both will have the same number, e.g., 40-40.)
"Let's read the introduction (READ ALOUD)
The purpose of this survey is to collect informationabout those factors that may affect your adjustment to andsatisfaction with the student role. We are also concernedwith any problems you may be facing in pursuing youracademic goals.
The information collected through this survey willassist your college or university to identify and betterunderstand the needs of individuals like yourself. Byanswering the following questions, you can assist collegeofficials in developing programs and services that betteraddress your needs.
The information you supply on this survey will be keptcompletely confidential. Individual students will not beidentified. Please DO NOT write your name on the question-naire.
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Please read each set of directions carefully. Pleaserespond to each item. Only circle one response for eachitem. Response #3--Neither Agree or Disagree may be usedfor items that you feel do not apply to you.
Are there any questions? If you have more questionsplease feel free to ask me. You may begin. When you havefinished please return your questionnaires to me. Thank youfor your assistance."
REFERENCES
Apps, J. (1981). The adult learner on campus . Chicago:Follet.
Apt, P.H. (1978). Adult learners and higher education:Factors influencing participation or non-participationdecisions. Alternative Higher Education , 3, 3-11.
Astin, H.S. (1976). A profile of the women in continuingeducation. In H.S. Astin (Ed.) , Some action of herown: The adult woman and higher education (pp. 57-88)
.
Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.
Benjamin, E. (1979). Review article: Barriers to academicre-entry women and how to overcome them . Evanston, IL:Northwestern University. (ERIC Document ReproductionService No. ED 185 935)
Blocher , D.H. (1974). Developmental counseling . New York:Ronald Press.
Brandenburg, J.B. (1974). The needs of women returning toschool. Personnel and Guidance Journal , 53 , 11-81.
Carkhuff , R.R. (1973) . The art of problem solving .
Amherst, MA: Human Resource Development press.
Carnegie Council on Policy Studies on Higher Education.(1980). Three thousand futures: The next 20 years inhigher education . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Darkenwald, G.G., & Merriam, S.B. (1982). Adult education:Foundations of practice . New York: Harper and Row.
De Groot, S.D. (1980). Female and male returnees:Glimpses of two distinct populations. Psychology ofWomen Quarterly , 5, 358-361.
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Dunn, O.J. (1961). Multiple comparisons among means.Journal of the American Statistical Association , 56 ,
52-64.
D'Zurilla, T.J., & Goldfried, M.R. (1971). Problem solvingand behavior modification. Journal of AbnormalPsychology , 78 , 107-126.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Martha Russell Bireda was born in Arcadia, Florida, on
May 2, 1945, to Alonzo and Bernice Andrews Russell. She
attended Booker High School in Sarasota, Florida, and
graduated as valedictorian of her class. She then attended
Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and
received a B.A. in speech correction. After graduation, she
taught in the Detroit Public Schools for two years.
In 1968, she was awarded an American Speech and Hearing
Association Fellowship to attend the University of Michigan
in Ann Arbor, Michigan. There she received an M.A. in
speech pathology. In 1970, she became a speech clinician
and instructor at the University of Miami in Coral Gables,
Florida.
Martha later moved to Charlotte County, Florida, and
worked in the public school system there until she returned
to graduate school to become a counselor. In 1980, she
received the Specialist in Education degree from the
University of Florida.
Martha has been employed at the University of Tampa in
Tampa, Florida, for the past six years. There she is
Director of Learning Skills and adjunct instructor in the
Division of Education.
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I certify that I have read this study and that in myopinion it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarlypresentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as
a dissertation for the degree of Doctor of philosophy.
Rcfafer ick McDav l s , Cha i rmanProfessor of Counselor Education
I certify that I have read this study and that in myopinion it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarlypresentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as
a dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
Paul FitzgeraLdVProfessor of Counselor Education
I certify that I have read this study and that in myopinion it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarlypresentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as
a dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
HahheTore Wass>rofessor of Foundations ofEducation
This dissertation was submitted to the Graduate Faculty of
the College of Education and to the Graduate School and was
accepted as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the