An Investigation of Student Thriving

Thriving at San Francisco State University

Patrick Cheng, Matt DeGennaro, Daniel Maurath,

Sean White, & Kenson Wong

Our objective was to improve student life at San Francisco State University through an investigation of student thriving within the Psychology Department assessment of the state of the university

AGENDAPreliminary SurveySurveyData AnalysisRecommendationsFuture Research

Thrivingin the literature

• Over 7,000 peer reviewed articles when thriving is entered in the ABI/INFORM database

• How to define thriving? • Peak performance• Flow• Self-actualization }

All speaks to maximizing our potential in a given environment.

THRIVINGdef: the psychological state in which individuals experience both a sense of vitality and a sense of learning at work.

(Spreitzer et al., 2005)

Thrivingat work

• Split into Affective and Cognitive elements

• Operationalized:• Vitality• Learning

• Discrete construct separate from engagement, vigor, well-being, flow etc.

ThrivingImportance• Fits with goals and mission of SFSU

• Predicts: • 16 % better overall performance• 125% less burnout• 32% more organizational commitment• 46% more job satisfaction

ThrivingImportance

• Identify areas where SFSU can improve

• Student life

• Enhanced organizational image

• Superior educational brand

ThrivingImportance• Presidential Investiture:

“XLR8 – New Momentum for a New Era”

• Pulse Survey Biannual survey on a variety of campus issues. (link)

Thriving SurveyValidated Thriving Scale (Porath, 2012)

Learning Items

I find myself learning oftenI continue to learn as time goes byI see myself continually improvingI am not learning (reverse coded)I am developing a lot as a person

Vitality Items

I feel alive and vitalI have energy and spiritI do not feel very energetic (reverse coded)I feel alert and awakeI am looking forward to each new day

Research on college-life-related thriving will inform a critical missing information gap between childhood and livelihood thriving dimensions.

Literature Review

Preliminary Survey

Survey

Literature ReviewWhat are the Factors that Prevent or Promote

Thriving?

Preliminary SurveyPaper and Pencil2 Forms16 Questions

Sample38 Undergraduate Students97% Psychology Majors304 Answers

At SFSU, what has assisted you to succeed academically?

At SFSU, if you are having difficulty academically, do you know where to go for help? And where would you go?

Preliminary SurveyFactors (Facility):

Expensive BooksLibrary

Lack of SleepSense of Community

Class AvailabilityCommute Time

Academic AdvisorsFaculty’s Supervision

Learning Assistance CenterSF Career Center

Quiet EnvironmentMental Health Service

Safety

Preliminary SurveyFactors (Facility):

Expensive BooksLibrary

Lack of SleepSense of Community

Class AvailabilityCommute Time

Academic AdvisorsFaculty’s Supervision

Learning Assistance CenterSF Career CenterQuiet Environment

Mental Health ServiceSafety

Preliminary SurveyFactors: (Students Characteristics)

PunctualityClub Involvement

Strong InterestHigh Stress

FocusedPlanning

Goal-OrientedFlow

MotivatedActively EngagedLeadership Ability

CreativityOrganizational Skills

Preliminary SurveyFactors: (Students Characteristics)

PunctualityClub Involvement

Strong InterestHigh Stress

FocusedPlanning

Goal-OrientedFlow

MotivatedActively EngagedLeadership Ability

CreativityOrganizational Skills

Preliminary SurveyOther Factors:

Networking with ProfessionalsFriends and Family

MusicExercise

Learning something new on your own timeNutrition

Financial StabilityConnectednessSocial Support

Perception of Success

Department SurveyOnline via Qualtrics

Biodata and Questions on the factors44 Questions

Thriving Scale(Porath, 2012)

10 Questions

Sample: Undergraduates and Graduate Students

Demographics

MaleFemal

e Other Total

Graduate Students 8 18 0 26

Undergraduate Students

10 24 1 35

Total (N) 18 42 1 61

SFSU vs. Young Professionals

1 2 3 4 5 6 70

2 2

26

30

10

SFSUM = 4.86SD = .70

1 2 3 4 5 6 70

2 2

26

30

10

SFSUM = 4.86SD = .70

SFSU vs. Young Professionals

d = 1.48

NormM = 5.96SD = .78

Characteristics:• Punctual• Motivated• Goal Oriented• Engaged• Leadership• Creative• Organized

Experiences:• Learning new things often• Always developing

themselves• Feeling alive and vital• Having energy and spirit• Feeling alert and awake• Looking forward to each

new day

Profile Of High Thriver

(rs = .30 to .51) (rs = .48 to .76)

School-Related Experiences that Lead to Thriving

1. Perceiving a fair grading system by professors

2. Having an interest in the subject matter

3. Feeling connected with the university

4. Perception of being satisfied with grades1

5. Having a quiet place to

study

6. Participating in school spirit events

7. Feeling safe on campus

8. The classes that I want to take are available to me

1There was no statistical relationship found between thriving and actual reported GPA; (r = -.051, p = .698, n.s.)

(rs = .35 to .45) (rs = .26 to .32)

High Negative Responses

1. Perceiving a fair grading system by professors

2. Having an interest in the subject matter (10, 16%)1

3. Feeling connected with the university (25, 41%)

4. Perception of being satisfied with grades

5. Having a quiet place to study (9, 15%)2

6. Participating in school spirit events

7. Feeling safe on campus8. The classes that I want to

take are available to me (15, 25%)3

1I have the opportunity to take classes that interest me; 256% of these 9 students visit the library at least one a week or more; 3New item found.

(rs = .35 to .45) (rs = .26 to .32)

Comparison of Groups on ThrivingNo significant difference found between:

• 35 undergraduate and 26 graduate students.

• 18 male and 42 female students.

Impact of SFSU Being a Commuter School• 55% commuted over 30 minutes

• Slight inverse relationshipwith Thriving

47minute Average

Commute Time

1 2 3 4 5 6 70

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Thriving

Thriving Score

Nu

mb

er o

f S

tud

ents

N = 61M = 4.86SD = .70

Thriving Interventions Apply to All• No differences found for Education

Level, Gender or Commute Time

Member10

Not A Member 51

Student Experience

92% want more school spirit events

77% feel connected to the university

ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Quiet Place to Studyfor Psychology students95% commute

72% visit library more than

2x month

Class Availability

99% learned on their own time

Class Availability

99% learned on their own time

• Presidential Investiture:“XLR8: New Momentum for a New Era”

Improve branding and image of SFSU

Limitations• Small sample of Psychology

students

• Graduate Students expected to have high GPA

• Assessing “learning” in a learning institution

Future Research• Attain more representative sample from

all majors

• Results can be used as a comparison to future changes (SF state president trying to change image right now)

• Expand to a longitudinal study to examine if low thriving sustains

Q & A