Affirming independence: Exploring mechanisms underlying a values affirmation intervention for first-generation students

Abstract

First-generation college students (students for whom neither parent has a 4-year college degree) earn lower grades and worry more about whether they belong in college, compared with continuing-generation students (who have at least 1 parent with a 4-year college degree). We conducted a longitudinal follow-up of participants from a study in which a values-affirmation intervention improved performance in a biology course for first-generation college students, and found that the treatment effect on grades persisted 3 years later. First-generation students in the treatment condition obtained a GPA that was, on average, .18 points higher than first-generation students in the control condition, 3 years after values affirmation was implemented (Study 1A). We explored mechanisms by testing whether the values-affirmation effects were predicated on first-generation students reflecting on interdependent values (thus affirming their values that are consistent with working-class culture) or independent values (thus affirming their values that are consistent with the culture of higher education). We found that when first-generation students wrote about their independence, they obtained higher grades (both in the semester in which values affirmation was implemented and in subsequent semesters) and felt less concerned about their background. In a separate laboratory experiment (Study 2) we manipulated the extent to which participants wrote about independence and found that encouraging first-generation students to write more about their independence improved their performance on a math test. These studies highlight the potential of having FG students focus on their own independence. (PsycINFO Database Record

Figure 1

GPAs with +/−1 standard error for performance among continuing-generation (CG) and first-generation (FG) students as a function of values affirmation (VA) condition; N = 749. Fall 2011 is the semester in which VA was implemented. Pre-intervention and post-intervention grade point averages (GPAs) are cumulative. Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, and Spring 2013 are semester GPAs.

Figure 2

Mean biology course grade (Panel A) and post-intervention GPA (Panel B) with +/−1 standard error for performance among continuing-generation and first-generation students as a function of values affirmation condition; N = 798 in Panel A; N = 788 in Panel B.

Figure 3

Moderated Mediation Model.

Figure 4

Study 1B: Decomposition of moderated mediation effects comparing students in the values affirmation (VA) condition at different levels of the mediator - those who wrote about independence (VA, Independence) and those who did not write about independence (VA, No Independence) - to students in the control condition on mean biology course grade (Panel A), post-intervention GPA (Panel B), and concern about background (Panel C). Error bars represent +/−1 standard error.

Figure 5

Study 2: Mean number of correct answers and +/−1 standard errors for continuing-generation and first-generation participants as a function of affirmation condition.