Transitioning to College: A Guide for Penn State Students
Psychological Well-Being
Incoming Students' Emotional Health at All Time Low
Students entering their first year of college rated their emotional health at a record low in 2010, according to the Cooperative Institutional Research Program Freshman Survey. The survey is administered annually nationwide by UCLA’s Graduate School of Education & Information Studies and by the Higher Education Research Institute. Students’ emotional health was the lowest ever reported since the survey began 25 years ago. The percentage of students who rated their emotional health “below average” increased while those who rated their emotional health as “above average” dropped 3.4 percentage points in 2010, to a total of 52 percent. The survey is based on responses of over 200,000 full-time first-year students at 279 four-year colleges and universities.
Twice as many female students as male students report feeling “overwhelmed” as they enter college
Male students were more likely than female students to report high levels of emotional health (59 percent versus 46 percent). The gender disparity in ratings of emotional health has been well documented in psychological literature. Incoming female students (39 percent) were twice as likely as male students (18 percent) to report feeling overwhelmed as high-school seniors. Incoming college students may be experiencing higher levels of stress than typical young adults in the past. Financial concerns as a result of the economic downturn may be to blame. More incoming students reported using loans to finance their education and almost two-thirds of surveyed students reported their college choice was influenced by the economic situation.
Along with these findings of declining emotional health and increased reports of feeling overwhelmed, students' drive to achieve and academic ability rose. Although these characteristics could be helpful in college, they could also contribute to feelings of pressure and stress among students. Despite the disheartening statistics reported by the 2010 incoming class, 58 percent of students reported that there is a good chance they will be satisfied with college. Their optimistic outlook on this question reflects the highest figure reported in 28 years. Although students may be experiencing more barriers to attending college and higher levels of stress, they appear to be confident about their college education.
Students Exhibiting Greater Number of Psychological Disorders
More students are coming to college with preexisting conditions, and they are more likely to seek out counseling services. College mental health workers have noted an increase in requested services in the past decade. The lead author of this study, John Guthman, PhD, is the director of student counseling services at Hofstra University. The authors examined 3,256 records of undergraduate and graduate students who accessed counseling services at a mid-sized private university between 1997 and 2009.
The researchers found that not only are more students seeking out counseling services, but students are displaying more severe psychological disorders. Although the data do not reflect the typical college student, they do imply that more students with severe psychological disorders are coming to college. Additional resources, support, and education provided to these students in childhood may be making it possible for them to attend college more so than in the past. Due to more of these students having preexisting conditions, they may be more willing to seek out counseling services once they arrive to campus.
The authors found that depression and anxiety among students seeking counseling actually remained mild and at a constant rate in the past decade. However, there has been a modest increase in the percentage of students with moderate to severe depression and anxiety. Guthman suggested this increase could be due to students coming to college with preexisting conditions and because more students are socially isolated and on psychiatric medication. Students coming to counseling and on medication increased 10 percent from 1998 to 2009. Counseling services need to provide more resources to students displaying more severe psychological disorders.
A more optimistic finding was noted by authors in that fewer students reported thoughts of suicide in 2009 compared to 1998. The reduction of suicidal ideation could be a result of successful suicide prevention efforts on college campuses.
Suicidal Ideation among First-Year College Students
We already know how stressful college can be for young adults. Living apart from parents for the first time can be difficult. They also have to try and make new friends and find out where they “fit in.” Adapting to their new environment and adjusting to new demands at college can make first-year students especially feel alone in their new world. In a previous post I mentioned a reported decline in students' suicidal ideation, or thoughts of suicide. Although rates are on the decline, it is still important to study among this population so professionals can identify at-risk students before they actually commit any harm to themselves.
The American Association of Suicidology (AAS) reported that suicide is the third leading cause of death among 10-24 year olds. AAS also reported that rates of suicide are highest for older youth 20-24 with 12.5 per 100,000 deaths caused by suicide. These statistics were reported in 2010 but based off of 2007 data. No matter how large a college campus, the untimely death of a fellow student brings the campus together as friends, family, professors, and school officials ask, “what could we have done to prevent this?”
When we think of students who might be at risk of committing suicide, we might picture someone who is depressed and spends their time tucked away in their dorm room. Researchers from the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine have found that this may not be the case. Campus health services may need to go beyond typical prescreening solely for depression to predict the students at risk of suicide. Amelia Arria, Kevin O’Grady, Kimberly Caldeira, Kathryn Vincent, Holly Wilcox, and Eric Wish conducted a study using face-to-face interviews with 1,249 first year college students.
They found suicide ideation among first-year college students frequently occurs in students that do not otherwise have significant depressive symptoms. Of the first-year students interviewed, 6 percent had current suicide ideation and only 40 percent of these students were also classified as having depression. What this means is that campus health services is missing many students at risk of suicide if they are only relying on prescreening for depression to identify those at-risk students. Students who felt a lack of social support were also more likely to have thoughts of suicide. The researchers point out a notion of belongingness that is important for first-year students. These young adults need to feel they belong somewhere and that they “fit in” with others. That is why getting involved is important for first-year students, whether it is in a fraternity or sorority, sport, club, or other organization.
Relationships with parents were also found to be important. First-year students were at increased risk of suicide ideation if they had high levels of conflict with their parents, especially father-child conflict. Another risk factor identified was affective dysregulation, characterized by the inability of the young adult to control their emotions and to be prone to have negative feelings. The researchers found this to be linked to impulsiveness acts and aggression. These students were also more prone to alcohol use disorders. If you have thoughts of suicide, please contact crisis services as soon as possible. Also look at our Helpful Links to find other resources available for you at Penn State.
Crisis Services
Mount Nittany Medical Center Emergency Department
911 or 1-800-643-5432
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
814-863-0395 (Monday-Friday 9-5)
http://www.sa.psu.edu/caps/
Centre County CAN HELP Line
24 Hour Crisis Hotline
1-800-643-5432
Community Help Centre
Phone (24 hours) and in-person crisis counseling (Monday-Friday 9-6)
139 S. Pugh Street, State College
814-235-1890
We already know how stressful college can be for young adults. Living apart from parents for the first time can be difficult. They also have to try and make new friends and find out where they “fit in.” Adapting to their new environment and adjusting to new demands at college can make first-year students especially feel alone in their new world. In a previous post I mentioned a reported decline in students' suicidal ideation, or thoughts of suicide. Although rates are on the decline, it is still important to study among this population so professionals can identify at-risk students before they actually commit any harm to themselves.
The American Association of Suicidology (AAS) reported that suicide is the third leading cause of death among 10-24 year olds. AAS also reported that rates of suicide are highest for older youth 20-24 with 12.5 per 100,000 deaths caused by suicide. These statistics were reported in 2010 but based off of 2007 data. No matter how large a college campus, the untimely death of a fellow student brings the campus together as friends, family, professors, and school officials ask, “what could we have done to prevent this?”
When we think of students who might be at risk of committing suicide, we might picture someone who is depressed and spends their time tucked away in their dorm room. Researchers from the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine have found that this may not be the case. Campus health services may need to go beyond typical prescreening solely for depression to predict the students at risk of suicide. Amelia Arria, Kevin O’Grady, Kimberly Caldeira, Kathryn Vincent, Holly Wilcox, and Eric Wish conducted a study using face-to-face interviews with 1,249 first year college students.
They found suicide ideation among first-year college students frequently occurs in students that do not otherwise have significant depressive symptoms. Of the first-year students interviewed, 6 percent had current suicide ideation and only 40 percent of these students were also classified as having depression. What this means is that campus health services is missing many students at risk of suicide if they are only relying on prescreening for depression to identify those at-risk students. Students who felt a lack of social support were also more likely to have thoughts of suicide. The researchers point out a notion of belongingness that is important for first-year students. These young adults need to feel they belong somewhere and that they “fit in” with others. That is why getting involved is important for first-year students, whether it is in a fraternity or sorority, sport, club, or other organization.
Relationships with parents were also found to be important. First-year students were at increased risk of suicide ideation if they had high levels of conflict with their parents, especially father-child conflict. Another risk factor identified was affective dysregulation, characterized by the inability of the young adult to control their emotions and to be prone to have negative feelings. The researchers found this to be linked to impulsiveness acts and aggression. These students were also more prone to alcohol use disorders. If you have thoughts of suicide, please contact crisis services as soon as possible. Also look at our Helpful Links to find other resources available for you at Penn State.
Crisis Services
Mount Nittany Medical Center Emergency Department
911 or 1-800-643-5432
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
814-863-0395 (Monday-Friday 9-5)
http://www.sa.psu.edu/caps/
Centre County CAN HELP Line
24 Hour Crisis Hotline
1-800-643-5432
Community Help Centre
Phone (24 hours) and in-person crisis counseling (Monday-Friday 9-6)
139 S. Pugh Street, State College
814-235-1890
Closer Relationships with Parents Aid Female Students in Making New Friends
“What if I don’t make any friends?” “What if people don’t like me?” A common insecurity among incoming students is meeting new friends. Psychologists have long hypothesized children’s feelings of attachment to their parents can influence their mental health and influence their ability to form long lasting relationships with others. There are actually different forms of attachment defined by psychologists, with secure attachment considered to be the healthiest and most adaptive form.
Researchers studying Human Development and Family studies at University of North Carolina Greensboro conducted a study specifically on females to examine if this parental relationship aided the students in making new friends. This study collected data on 172 female college freshmen at a large university in Southeastern United States. Attachment to parents was measured by asking the students various questions mainly to measure their level of trust with their parents, if they can count on their parents and they are reliable, or if they feel angry with their parents. Students who reported being more securely attached to parents at the beginning of their first semester, reported better friendship outcomes. These students said it was easier for them to make new friends. The fact that these students had a prior positive experience in forming relationships could have made them feel more comfortable when seeking out friends.
Minority students experiencing social anxiety especially benefit from secure attachment with parents
Minority students appeared to especially benefit from feeling securely attached to parents. The researchers believed that those with social anxiety would experience more difficulties in forming friendships. This was seen in their findings. Social anxiety can make it more difficult for these students to introduce themselves to peers and might make them feel more negatively about the interactions they do have with peers. More positive relationships with parents of minority students was linked to less social anxiety, this in turn helped them form new friendships and to be more satisfied with these friendships.
Female students’ attachments to parents influence other close relationships in their lives. Parents should take note to how stressful the transition to college is for their child and should support them in making new friends.
“What if I don’t make any friends?” “What if people don’t like me?” A common insecurity among incoming students is meeting new friends. Psychologists have long hypothesized children’s feelings of attachment to their parents can influence their mental health and influence their ability to form long lasting relationships with others. There are actually different forms of attachment defined by psychologists, with secure attachment considered to be the healthiest and most adaptive form.
Researchers studying Human Development and Family studies at University of North Carolina Greensboro conducted a study specifically on females to examine if this parental relationship aided the students in making new friends. This study collected data on 172 female college freshmen at a large university in Southeastern United States. Attachment to parents was measured by asking the students various questions mainly to measure their level of trust with their parents, if they can count on their parents and they are reliable, or if they feel angry with their parents. Students who reported being more securely attached to parents at the beginning of their first semester, reported better friendship outcomes. These students said it was easier for them to make new friends. The fact that these students had a prior positive experience in forming relationships could have made them feel more comfortable when seeking out friends.
Minority students experiencing social anxiety especially benefit from secure attachment with parents
Minority students appeared to especially benefit from feeling securely attached to parents. The researchers believed that those with social anxiety would experience more difficulties in forming friendships. This was seen in their findings. Social anxiety can make it more difficult for these students to introduce themselves to peers and might make them feel more negatively about the interactions they do have with peers. More positive relationships with parents of minority students was linked to less social anxiety, this in turn helped them form new friendships and to be more satisfied with these friendships.
Female students’ attachments to parents influence other close relationships in their lives. Parents should take note to how stressful the transition to college is for their child and should support them in making new friends.
Greater Involvement in Academic and Social Gatherings Can Ease International Students’ Homesickness
Colleges and universities have paid special attention to the needs of international students transitioning to life in the United States. Less attention has been given to the potential gender and ethnicity differences in needs. Yangyi Kwon recently reported a study on factors that influence international students’ transition to college. The study was based on data collected from 165 international students at an urban university in the United States.
Kwon found that Asian international students were more likely to perceive their English proficiency to be relatively low compared to other ethnic groups. This finding suggests that Asian international students may be more insecure when interacting with American students and may be deterred from interacting in class. No ethnic group differences were found in feelings of homesickness, isolation, or loneliness. However, a gender difference did emerge with female students being more likely to report feelings of homesickness. Male students were more likely to attend social gatherings and information sessions offered by Offices for International Students. Seeking out and participating in more social gatherings with other international students might help ease female international students level of homesickness. Female international students may feel more comfortable at their university if they have the opportunity to relate to others in the same situation and facing the same cultural challenges.
If you are looking for International Student Support on Penn State’s campus, check out this webpage to find various activities and resources available to you.
http://www.global.psu.edu/international_students/
You can also visit the Counseling and Psychological Services website to get tips on dealing with homesickness or to schedule an appointment if you would like to speak with a counselor.
http://www.sa.psu.edu/caps/
Colleges and universities have paid special attention to the needs of international students transitioning to life in the United States. Less attention has been given to the potential gender and ethnicity differences in needs. Yangyi Kwon recently reported a study on factors that influence international students’ transition to college. The study was based on data collected from 165 international students at an urban university in the United States.
Kwon found that Asian international students were more likely to perceive their English proficiency to be relatively low compared to other ethnic groups. This finding suggests that Asian international students may be more insecure when interacting with American students and may be deterred from interacting in class. No ethnic group differences were found in feelings of homesickness, isolation, or loneliness. However, a gender difference did emerge with female students being more likely to report feelings of homesickness. Male students were more likely to attend social gatherings and information sessions offered by Offices for International Students. Seeking out and participating in more social gatherings with other international students might help ease female international students level of homesickness. Female international students may feel more comfortable at their university if they have the opportunity to relate to others in the same situation and facing the same cultural challenges.
If you are looking for International Student Support on Penn State’s campus, check out this webpage to find various activities and resources available to you.
http://www.global.psu.edu/international_students/
You can also visit the Counseling and Psychological Services website to get tips on dealing with homesickness or to schedule an appointment if you would like to speak with a counselor.
http://www.sa.psu.edu/caps/
More Positive Body Image Found Among African American Students and Male Students
Body image might become more salient as young adults arrive to college. More interaction with peers in classes and outside of class in social situations might lead to more “sizing up” among students as they compare their body to others. More opportunities for sexual and romantic relationships could also contribute to more self objectification.
The ideal body type portrayed by our society is out of reach for many young women as they aspire to be unrealistically thin. Furthermore, young men might be feeling this social pressure as a muscular frame is becoming society’s ideal to strive for. Body image is an important construct for psychologists to study as it can impact other aspects of young adults’ mental health, such as feelings of depression or disordered eating behaviors. Meghan Gillen and Eva Lefkowitz not only examined differences among male students and female students, but they also examined ethnic differences in body image. Their study was based on a total of 434 African American, Latino/a American, and European American students in their first-semester of college.
As the researchers expected, male students had more positive body image than female students. Female students paid more attention to their appearance and rated the importance of appearance higher than males did. Female students evaluated their appearance more negatively and were less satisfied with areas of their body. These findings could be explained by the greater social pressure felt by young women to strive for thinness. When asked about body dissatisfaction, women were more likely to want their bodies to be smaller, whereas men had greater variability in their responses. Some male students wanted their body’s to be larger, while others wanted their body’s to be smaller. The authors noted that this could be due to some men wanting to be thinner, while also building muscle and getting larger in some areas.
Compared to the European Americans and Latino/a Americans in the study, African Americans had a more positive image. Male and female African American college students may be at an advantage because of greater acceptability of different body sizes in their culture. African American students might be more likely to reject the thin ideal and embrace a healthier or larger body size, greatly easing this social pressure felt by many of their peers. If students of all ethnicities could feel this level of acceptance for their bodies, we would likely see a decline in eating disorders on college campuses.
If you think you need help for an eating disorder or unhealthy thoughts about your weight or appearance, please contact Penn State’s Counseling and Psychological Services.
http://www.sa.psu.edu/caps/
You can also receive free nutrition counseling from registered dieticians at University Health Services. Dieticians can help you identify unhealthy dietary behaviors and assist you in creating a healthy meal plan and setting nutrition goals.
http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/health/wellness/nutritionClinic.shtml
Body image might become more salient as young adults arrive to college. More interaction with peers in classes and outside of class in social situations might lead to more “sizing up” among students as they compare their body to others. More opportunities for sexual and romantic relationships could also contribute to more self objectification.
The ideal body type portrayed by our society is out of reach for many young women as they aspire to be unrealistically thin. Furthermore, young men might be feeling this social pressure as a muscular frame is becoming society’s ideal to strive for. Body image is an important construct for psychologists to study as it can impact other aspects of young adults’ mental health, such as feelings of depression or disordered eating behaviors. Meghan Gillen and Eva Lefkowitz not only examined differences among male students and female students, but they also examined ethnic differences in body image. Their study was based on a total of 434 African American, Latino/a American, and European American students in their first-semester of college.
As the researchers expected, male students had more positive body image than female students. Female students paid more attention to their appearance and rated the importance of appearance higher than males did. Female students evaluated their appearance more negatively and were less satisfied with areas of their body. These findings could be explained by the greater social pressure felt by young women to strive for thinness. When asked about body dissatisfaction, women were more likely to want their bodies to be smaller, whereas men had greater variability in their responses. Some male students wanted their body’s to be larger, while others wanted their body’s to be smaller. The authors noted that this could be due to some men wanting to be thinner, while also building muscle and getting larger in some areas.
Compared to the European Americans and Latino/a Americans in the study, African Americans had a more positive image. Male and female African American college students may be at an advantage because of greater acceptability of different body sizes in their culture. African American students might be more likely to reject the thin ideal and embrace a healthier or larger body size, greatly easing this social pressure felt by many of their peers. If students of all ethnicities could feel this level of acceptance for their bodies, we would likely see a decline in eating disorders on college campuses.
If you think you need help for an eating disorder or unhealthy thoughts about your weight or appearance, please contact Penn State’s Counseling and Psychological Services.
http://www.sa.psu.edu/caps/
You can also receive free nutrition counseling from registered dieticians at University Health Services. Dieticians can help you identify unhealthy dietary behaviors and assist you in creating a healthy meal plan and setting nutrition goals.
http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/health/wellness/nutritionClinic.shtml
College Students At-Risk For Developing Compulsive Eating and Exercising Behaviors
The focus seems to be on restrictive behaviors when studying eating disorders among the college population, such as anorexia, extreme dieting, or binging and purging with bulimia. Less discussed is the concept of compulsive eating, and even more so, compulsive exercising. We typically associate exercise as a behavior with health benefits, but some college students are pushing themselves beyond normal limits. Authors of a recent article did not specifically define compulsive eating, but considered the behavior to be on the same spectrum as binge eating, or episodes of overeating.
A group of researchers was interested in seeing if a possible relationship existed between compulsive eating and exercise. Their study was based on a sample of 589 undergraduate students from two college campuses. Approximately 7 percent of their sample exhibited compulsive eating behaviors and approximately 18 percent compulsively exercised. A small percentage (2 percent) displayed both behaviors of compulsive eating and exercise.
Female students were more likely than male students to report compulsive eating (2.3 times more likely). Students with higher levels of compulsive eating also tended to have higher levels of aggression, to be less satisfied with their lives, and to be more depressed. Once again demonstrating how one unhealthy behavior can be linked to other aspects of a young person’s psychological well-being. Whereas female students were more likely to compulsively eat, male students were significantly more likely to report compulsive exercise. This finding is in line with previous research that male students display more exercise-dependence. While exercise can have positive effects, like less depressed mood, higher levels of body satisfaction, and the physical benefits, it can be unhealthy if students are exercising obsessively. Asian students were less likely to excessively exercise compared to their African American, Hispanic, and White peers.
This study was only exploratory and the researchers did not focus on potential negative outcomes of these unhealthy behaviors. However, they did conclude that college students might be at an elevated risk of developing compulsive eating and exercising, as displayed by the prevalence rates in their study. Further research is needed to identify which students might be at risk of these excessive unhealthy behaviors.
If you think you need help for an eating disorder or unhealthy thoughts about your weight or appearance, please contact Penn State’s Counseling and Psychological Services. You can also receive free nutrition counseling from registered dieticians at University Health Services. Dieticians can help you identify any unhealthy eating patterns and assist you in creating a nutrition plan.
Counseling and Psychological Services
http://www.sa.psu.edu/caps/
Nutrition Counseling
http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/health/wellness/nutritionClinic.shtml
The focus seems to be on restrictive behaviors when studying eating disorders among the college population, such as anorexia, extreme dieting, or binging and purging with bulimia. Less discussed is the concept of compulsive eating, and even more so, compulsive exercising. We typically associate exercise as a behavior with health benefits, but some college students are pushing themselves beyond normal limits. Authors of a recent article did not specifically define compulsive eating, but considered the behavior to be on the same spectrum as binge eating, or episodes of overeating.
A group of researchers was interested in seeing if a possible relationship existed between compulsive eating and exercise. Their study was based on a sample of 589 undergraduate students from two college campuses. Approximately 7 percent of their sample exhibited compulsive eating behaviors and approximately 18 percent compulsively exercised. A small percentage (2 percent) displayed both behaviors of compulsive eating and exercise.
Female students were more likely than male students to report compulsive eating (2.3 times more likely). Students with higher levels of compulsive eating also tended to have higher levels of aggression, to be less satisfied with their lives, and to be more depressed. Once again demonstrating how one unhealthy behavior can be linked to other aspects of a young person’s psychological well-being. Whereas female students were more likely to compulsively eat, male students were significantly more likely to report compulsive exercise. This finding is in line with previous research that male students display more exercise-dependence. While exercise can have positive effects, like less depressed mood, higher levels of body satisfaction, and the physical benefits, it can be unhealthy if students are exercising obsessively. Asian students were less likely to excessively exercise compared to their African American, Hispanic, and White peers.
This study was only exploratory and the researchers did not focus on potential negative outcomes of these unhealthy behaviors. However, they did conclude that college students might be at an elevated risk of developing compulsive eating and exercising, as displayed by the prevalence rates in their study. Further research is needed to identify which students might be at risk of these excessive unhealthy behaviors.
If you think you need help for an eating disorder or unhealthy thoughts about your weight or appearance, please contact Penn State’s Counseling and Psychological Services. You can also receive free nutrition counseling from registered dieticians at University Health Services. Dieticians can help you identify any unhealthy eating patterns and assist you in creating a nutrition plan.
Counseling and Psychological Services
http://www.sa.psu.edu/caps/
Nutrition Counseling
http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/health/wellness/nutritionClinic.shtml
Sorority Members Might Be At Greater Risk of Body Dissatisfaction and Disordered Eating Behaviors
Students who are more involved in college organizations may have a greater sense of belonging and fare better when it comes to their psychological well-being. Getting involved in the Greek system is a way for many students to meet new friends and others with similar interests. The Student Affairs website at Penn State discusses the basic principles of fraternity and sorority life on campus. Some of the goals these organizations aim to promote are academic achievement, leadership skills, camaraderie, service and philanthropy, and involvement with alumni. Belonging to such an organization can expose students to many of these opportunities that will help them grow in their personal life, and also help them build a professional identity.
While these are some of the benefits of belonging to such an organization, negative implications can also arise due to social pressure within the group. Susan Basow, Kelly Foran, and Jamila Bookwala of Lafayette College took a closer look at how sorority membership is associated with different measures of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors. Their study compared women in a sorority to those not in a sorority, and to those who were currently nonmembers but planned to join in the future.
Sorority members displayed more risk factors for the development of disordered eating behaviors compared to those not in a sorority. Specifically women in sororities reported more body objectification, attitudes of disordered eating, and perceived social pressure. Furthermore, of the women not currently in a sorority, those who planned to join in the future also had elevated levels of these risk factors. The researchers suggest that women who plan to join a sorority might be similar to those who are already members in terms of their body image and eating attitudes. These women might be more prone to social pressure, the drive for thinness, and body dissatisfaction, and perhaps sororities appeal to this type of young female student.
Even more discouraging, the researchers found that the longer a sorority member lived in a sorority house, the more dissatisfied she was with her body and the higher levels of bulimic behaviors were reported. If sororities do indeed appeal to women at-risk of developing disordered eating behaviors and living in a sorority house increases the likelihood of onset of these behaviors, it is critical for intervention efforts to help these women.
Sorority houses do not exist on Penn State's campus, but sorority members still have the opportunity to live together on a dorm room floor. If sorority members or any other students on Penn State’s campus are facing any of these issues, please contact Counseling and Psychological Services.
Students who are more involved in college organizations may have a greater sense of belonging and fare better when it comes to their psychological well-being. Getting involved in the Greek system is a way for many students to meet new friends and others with similar interests. The Student Affairs website at Penn State discusses the basic principles of fraternity and sorority life on campus. Some of the goals these organizations aim to promote are academic achievement, leadership skills, camaraderie, service and philanthropy, and involvement with alumni. Belonging to such an organization can expose students to many of these opportunities that will help them grow in their personal life, and also help them build a professional identity.
While these are some of the benefits of belonging to such an organization, negative implications can also arise due to social pressure within the group. Susan Basow, Kelly Foran, and Jamila Bookwala of Lafayette College took a closer look at how sorority membership is associated with different measures of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors. Their study compared women in a sorority to those not in a sorority, and to those who were currently nonmembers but planned to join in the future.
Sorority members displayed more risk factors for the development of disordered eating behaviors compared to those not in a sorority. Specifically women in sororities reported more body objectification, attitudes of disordered eating, and perceived social pressure. Furthermore, of the women not currently in a sorority, those who planned to join in the future also had elevated levels of these risk factors. The researchers suggest that women who plan to join a sorority might be similar to those who are already members in terms of their body image and eating attitudes. These women might be more prone to social pressure, the drive for thinness, and body dissatisfaction, and perhaps sororities appeal to this type of young female student.
Even more discouraging, the researchers found that the longer a sorority member lived in a sorority house, the more dissatisfied she was with her body and the higher levels of bulimic behaviors were reported. If sororities do indeed appeal to women at-risk of developing disordered eating behaviors and living in a sorority house increases the likelihood of onset of these behaviors, it is critical for intervention efforts to help these women.
Sorority houses do not exist on Penn State's campus, but sorority members still have the opportunity to live together on a dorm room floor. If sorority members or any other students on Penn State’s campus are facing any of these issues, please contact Counseling and Psychological Services.
