Role-Related Conflicts, Strains and Stresses of Older-Adult College Students

Abstract

Abstract The negative effects of role conflict, role strain and stress among non-traditional-aged college students are widely assumed but little studied. This paper examines how role conflict and role strain in older-adult students affect stress and, in turn, how strain, conflict and stress affect academically important outcomes such as depression, perceived value of college, grades, subsequent course load and retention. Data come from 355 students age 25 or older at a large, comprehensive, open-admissions, urban university. Regression analyses, controlling for demographics and self-efficacy, show that while older-adult students report wide-ranging role strain and conflict, only a few of these strains and conflicts promote stress. In particular, financial strains, work conflicts and university-caused strains are the main stressors. While stress does not affect any of the academic outcomes, role conflicts and role strains do have an effect. In addition, universities and colleges can do little to improve the retention rate of older-adult students.