The Impacts on Well-being of Undergraduate College Students Serving in a Resident Assistant Role

Abstract

Resident Assistants (RAs) are an integral part of the residential experience at colleges and universities, but little attention has been paid to how the RA position impacts student workers. This study examines the effect of the RA position on the well-being of undergraduate students working in the RA role. Three surveys collecting anonymous data on student well-being using the Keyes Flourishing Scale were distributed over the course of the fall 2018 academic semester. The SF-12 Health Questionnaire, the Sarason Social Support Questionnaire, the Deakin Coping Scale, and the Perceived Stress Scale were used to collect further data. Analysis was performed on data from 16 student RAs who responded to all three surveys. This diminished sample size prevented statistically significant data, but trends in the data are still evident. Social support remained positively correlated with well-being over the course of the semester. At the end of the semester, mental health was positively correlated with well-being while perceived stress was negatively correlated with well-being. Moreover, RAs in upperclassmen dorms and those with greater prior RA experience had nonsignificant yet overall higher levels of well-being throughout the semester. Though correlations are present between the well-being of student RAs and other factors in their lives, more data are needed to prove significance and further determine the relations between these factors.