Perceived Stress and an Elaborated Structural Model of Adult Student Persistence: An Examination of Financial Aid, Financial Satisfaction, Intent To Persist and Persistence.

Abstract

Researchers used cross-sectional survey research to reexamine the problem of adult persistence within undergraduate degree programs. They identified a variable--perceived stress--that permitted a richer explanation of the process of student persistence. A model was presented that examined the attitudinal and behavioral impacts of unmet need, financial aid, financial satisfaction, financial difficulty, and academic performance while maintaining a loosely coupled conceptual kinship to the integrated model of student persistence of Sandler (1999). Empirical considerations of St. John, et al. (1994, 2000) and Sandler were explored to produce an innovative path analysis, thereby investigating nonrecursive and reciprocal interactions that were new to the literature. The hypotheses and effects examined explicated adult student decision-making constraints, attitudes, choices, and behavior allied to the theory of planned behavior of Ajzen that bore an empirical impact and other outcomes within the model. Unmet need was empirically shown to be illustrative of nontraditional students' decision making, having an orthogonal impact, as a direct effect, on financial aid, financial satisfaction, and persistence borne by learners continuing their studies for a degree. Findings indicated perceived stress and cumulative grade point average had the widest range of influence on endogenous variables. (Contains 42 references.) (YLB) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Perceived Stress and an Elaborated Structural Model of Adult Student Persistence: An Examination of Financial Aid, Financial Satisfaction, Intent to Persist and Persistence Martin E. Sandler, Ph.D. New York University School of Continuing and Professional Studies PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) 1 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. Martin E. Sandier, Ph.D. 240 Cabrini Boulevard, # 6C New York, NY 10033 daytime (212) 790-1646 evening (212) 795-1966 E-Mail: martin.sandler@nyu.edu facsimile (212) 790-1686 A paper presented before the American Educational Research Association 2001 Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA. Perceived Stress and an Elaborated Structural Model of Adult Student Persistence: An Examination of Financial Aid, Financial Satisfaction, Intent to Persist and Persistence