Russell D. Ravert

The Questionnaire for Eudaimonic Well-Being: Psychometric properties, demographic comparisons, and evidence of validity

The Questionnaire for Eudaimonic Well-Being (QEWB) was developed to measure well-being in a manner consistent with how it is conceptualized in eudaimonist philosophy. Aspects of eudaimonic well-being assessed by the QEWB include self-discovery, perceived development of ones best potentials, a sense of purpose and meaning in life, intense involvement in activities, investment of significant effort, and enjoyment of activities as personally expressive. The QEWB was administered to two large, ethnically diverse samples of college students drawn from multiple sites across the United States. A three-part evaluation of the instrument was conducted: (1) evaluating psychometric properties, (2) comparing QEWB scores across gender, age, ethnicity, family income, and family structure, and (3) assessing the convergent, discriminant, construct, and incremental validity of the QEWB. Six hypotheses relating QEWB scores to identity formation, personality traits, and positive and negative psychological functioning were evaluated. The internal consistency of the scale was high and results of independent CFAs indicated that the QEWB items patterned onto a common factor. The distribution of scores approximated a normal curve. Demographic variables were found to predict only small proportions of QEWB score variability. Support for the hypotheses tested provides evidence for the validity of the QEWB as an instrument for assessing eudaimonic well-being. Implications for theory and future research directions are discussed.

“You're Only Young Once” Things College Students Report Doing Now Before It Is Too Late

This exploratory study examined the extent to which emerging adult college students report engaging in behaviors now because they feel they will lose those opportunities later in life. Students at a large Midwestern U.S. university (N = 248) reported how often they do or try something because they will not be able to do it later as an adult and listed examples of those activities. A majority of students (76%) listed at least one such behavior. Analysis of the listed behaviors uncovered 8 thematic categories: (a) travel/adventure, (b) social events, (c) alcohol/tobacco/drug use, (d) relationships, (e) carefree lifestyle, (f) sports/action, (g) academic/career, and (h) independence/ personal expression. Implications for studies of emerging adulthood development and risk-taking are discussed.

Identity consolidation and health risk behaviors in college students.

OBJECTIVES To investigate the protective role of personal identity consolidation against health risk behaviors in college-attending emerging adults. METHODS A multisite sample of 1546 college students completed measures of personal identity consolidation and recent risk behavior engagement. RESULTS Multivariate Poisson regression indicated that personal identity consolidation was negatively related to binge drinking, illicit drug use, sexual risk behaviors, and risky driving. These findings were consistent across gender, ethnicity, and place of residence. CONCLUSIONS A consolidated sense of personal identity may protect college-attending emerging adults from health-compromising behaviors. Health professionals could incorporate an identity development component into college health programming.

Research In Brief: Using Mobile Phones to Collect Daily Experience Data From College Undergraduates

This research brief describes our recent efforts collecting daily experience data from college undergraduates at a large midwestern U.S. university through mobile phone text messaging. By daily experience data, we mean data that are collected at multiple points from individuals within their natural context, over a period of time. This approach to data collection provides a way to study phenomena under the conditions in which they naturally occur and to examine how those phenomena progress over time or across contexts (Bolger, Davis, & Rafaeli, 2003). Gathering data from individuals at multiple points over the course of time as a way to better understand their experiences has been used as early as the 1920s. Since then, the methods of collecting that data have evolved alongside technological advances, with early paper and alarm watches eventually giving way to beepers and personal digital assistant (PDA) devices (Scollon, Kim-Prieto, & Diener, 2003). A variety of approaches are possible, including (a) time-based designs, in which participants are asked to respond at fixed intervals (e.g., at 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. each day), (b) event-based designs, in which participants are asked to respond when a certain event occurs (e.g., before each meal), and (c) interval-based designs, in which participants are asked to respond whenever prompted (e.g., by an electronic beeper). In the current study, we examined the feasibility of an interval-based approach that might be considered a natural extension of these methods: collecting data from college students via text messaging.

Alcohol management strategies of college students with diabetes

OBJECTIVE Alcohol management strategies of college undergraduates with diabetes were studied in order to identify which strategies were associated with decreased alcohol consumption and consequences. METHODS Data came from 450 undergraduates with diabetes who were among 90,000 students from 123 postsecondary institutions who completed the Spring, 2006 National College Health Assessment. RESULTS A majority of respondents (68.0%) reported alcohol use in the previous month, with 41.8% consuming five or more drinks in one sitting during the previous 2 weeks. High alcohol management strategy use in the past year was associated with fewer heavy drinking episodes and fewer alcohol-related consequences. Two strategies, avoiding drinking games and pacing ones drinking, were especially strong predictors of reduced consumption and consequences, and were more common among older students. CONCLUSION Developing effective strategies to manage alcohol intake is especially important for students with diabetes due to short- and long-term hazards of excessive drinking. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS Alcohol use is a common aspect of college culture and may hold perceived social benefits for students. Healthcare clinicians should help students with diabetes to identify alcohol management strategies that are perceived as effective and feasible. Avoiding drinking games and pacing drinks appear to be strategies especially worthy of promotion.

Association of acculturation with drinking games among Hispanic college students.

Abstract Objective: This cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate which components of acculturation relate to drinking games participation among Hispanic college students. We also sought to examine whether the relationships between acculturation and drinking games would differ from the associations between acculturation and other alcohol-related outcomes. Method: A sample of 1,397 Hispanic students aged 18–25 (75% women; 77% US-born) from 30 US colleges and universities completed a confidential online survey. Results: Associations among acculturative processes, drinking games participation, general alcohol consumption, and negative drinking consequences differed across gender. Most significant findings emerged in the domain of cultural practices. For women, US cultural practices were associated with greater general alcohol consumption, drinking games frequency, and amount of alcohol consumed while gaming, whereas for men, US cultural practices were associated with general alcohol consumption and negative drinking consequences. Conclusions: Hispanic and US cultural practices, values, and identifications were differentially associated with drinking games participation, and these associations differed by gender. It is therefore essential for college student alcohol research to examine US culture acquisition and Hispanic culture retention separately and within the domains of cultural practices, values, and identifications.

The Association Between Sensation Seeking and Well-Being Among College-Attending Emerging Adults

Sensation seeking is a known risk factor for unsafe and reckless behavior among college students, but its association with well-being is unknown. Given that exploration plays an important psychosocial role during the transition to adulthood, we examined the possibility that sensation seeking is also associated with psychological well-being. In a large multisite US college sample (N = 8,020), scores on the Arnett Inventory of Sensation Seeking were positively associated with risk behavior, psychological well-being, and eudaimonic well-being. When sensation seeking dimensions were examined separately, well-being was found to be associated with high novelty seeking but with low intensity seeking.

College student invulnerability beliefs and HIV vaccine acceptability.

OBJECTIVE To examine behavioral history, beliefs, and vaccine characteristics as predictors of HIV vaccine acceptability. METHODS Two hundred forty-five US undergraduates were surveyed regarding their sexual history, risk beliefs, and likelihood of accepting hypothetical HIV vaccines. RESULTS Multivariate regression analysis indicated that vaccine acceptability was predicted by lifetime sexual partners, high perceived HIV susceptibility, low danger invulnerability, and high psychological invulnerability. Low perceived risk was associated with basing decisions on vaccine cost. CONCLUSIONS HIV vaccine acceptability was predicted by behavioral risk and perceived HIV susceptibility, but also by general feelings of invulnerability to physical and psychological harm.

Transitioning Through College With Diabetes: Themes Found in Online Forums

Abstract Objective: Content analysis of Internet-based diabetes forum text was used to examine the experiences encountered by students with diabetes transitioning into and through college. Participants: Forum posts (N = 238) regarding attending college with diabetes were collected and analyzed. Methods: Thematic coding was used to identify prominent topics, followed by analysis of theme distribution across college transitional stages. Three students with diabetes were recruited to review results and corroborate findings. Results: Twenty thematic categories were identified. Preparation for college involved efforts to move toward autonomous diabetes management. Transitioning in was marked by adjusting to a college lifestyle, then working to manage issues such as busy schedules and alcohol use as continuing students, and turning attention toward future career options and finances while transitioning out. Conclusions: As they move into and through college, students with diabetes negotiate developmental and diabetes-specific tasks within an environment that presents unique logistical, lifestyle, and psychological challenges.

Why Take Risks? Four Good Reasons According to Emerging Adult College Students:

College-attending emerging adults (ages 18-26, n = 233) were asked to describe their personal philosophy on taking risks. “Taking risks” was undefined, in order to allow for individual interpretation. Thematic coding was used to assess the degree of endorsement, reasons to take risks, and reasons to avoid risks cited in responses. Whereas 7.3% of students focused solely on risk avoidance, 55.4% stressed the importance of weighing pros and cons, and 37.3% fully endorsed risk taking. Among reasons cited for taking risks, the most common motivation was personal growth, followed by achievement, to avoid missing out, and enjoyment/satisfaction. Results are discussed with regard to theory of emerging adulthood, and a conceptual distinction is made between hedonic versus eudaimonic risk motivations.