Who Participates and Why It Matters: Understanding Demographic and Academic Differences in a College Campus-Support Program for Students with Foster Care Experience, Students Experiencing Homelessness, and Independent Students

IF 1.7 4区医学 Q2 SOCIAL WORK

Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal Pub Date : 2026-07-23 DOI:10.1007/s10560-026-01147-w

Kalah M. Villagrana, Keunhye Park, Nathanael J. Okpych, Hannah Boyke, Joana Tolchinsky

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

College students who have experienced foster care, homelessness, or are otherwise independent face barriers in postsecondary education. Campus support programs (CSPs) provide specialized services, yet not all eligible students participate. Little is known about demographic or academic differences between CSP participants and eligible nonparticipants—information critical for strengthening outreach. This study examined the student characteristics that predict CSP participation, and whether participation is associated with improved first-year academic outcomes. University administrative records identified first-time CSP-eligible freshmen who entered a public Midwestern university between Fall 2021 and Fall 2024 ( n = 264). First-year outcomes included cumulative GPA and academic standing. The key independent variable was CSP participation. Covariates included gender, race, in-state residency, first-generation status, and cohort year. Bivariate and regression analyses were conducted. About 19% of eligible students participated in the CSP. Participants were significantly more likely to identify as Black and as first-generation college students than nonparticipants. Regression analyses showed that CSP participation was significantly associated with higher first-year GPA. Regardless of participation status, Black students and out-of-state students had lower GPAs than White and in-state students. CSP participation trended toward increasing the odds of good academic standing, but this effect did not reach statistical significance. Black students had lower odds of good academic standing than White peers. These early findings support the potential role of CSPs in supporting students with intersectional marginalized identities. Low participation rates underscore the need for more targeted outreach. Future research should include more rigorous evaluations of CSPs and long-term college outcomes.

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谁参与，为什么重要：了解大学校园的人口统计学和学术差异——对有寄养经历的学生、无家可归的学生和独立学生的支持计划

经历过寄养、无家可归或其他独立生活的大学生在接受高等教育时面临障碍。校园支持计划（csp）提供专业服务，但并非所有符合条件的学生都参加。关于CSP参与者和合格的非参与者之间的人口统计学或学术差异知之甚少，这是加强外展的关键信息。本研究考察了预测CSP参与的学生特征，以及参与是否与第一年学业成绩的提高有关。大学行政记录确定了2021年秋季至2024年秋季期间进入中西部公立大学的首次符合csp资格的新生（n = 264）。第一年的成绩包括累积GPA和学术成绩。关键的自变量是CSP的参与。协变量包括性别、种族、州内居住地、第一代身份和队列年份。进行了双变量和回归分析。约有19%合资格的学生参加了该项计划。与非参与者相比，参与者更有可能认为自己是黑人和第一代大学生。回归分析显示，参加CSP与第一年较高的GPA显著相关。无论参与情况如何，黑人学生和州外学生的gpa都低于白人和州内学生。参与CSP倾向于增加良好学术地位的几率，但这种影响没有达到统计学意义。黑人学生获得良好学业成绩的几率低于白人学生。这些早期发现支持csp在支持具有交叉边缘身份的学生方面的潜在作用。较低的参与率强调了开展更有针对性的外展活动的必要性。未来的研究应该包括对csp和长期大学成果进行更严格的评估。

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来源期刊

Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal SOCIAL WORK-

CiteScore

3.90

自引率

0.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： The Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal (CASW) features original articles that focus on social work practice with children, adolescents, and their families. Topics include issues affecting a variety of specific populations in special settings. CASW welcomes a range of scholarly contributions focused on children and adolescents, including theoretical papers, narrative case studies, historical analyses, traditional reviews of the literature, descriptive studies, single-system research designs, correlational investigations, methodological works, pre-experimental, quasi-experimental and experimental evaluations, meta-analyses and systematic reviews. Manuscripts involving qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods are welcome to be submitted, as are papers grounded in one or more theoretical orientations, or those that are not based on any formal theory. CASW values different disciplines and interdisciplinary work that informs social work practice and policy. Authors from public health, nursing, psychology, sociology, and other disciplines are encouraged to submit manuscripts. All manuscripts should include specific implications for social work policy and practice with children and adolescents. Appropriate fields of practice include interpersonal practice, small groups, families, organizations, communities, policy practice, nationally-oriented work, and international studies. Authors considering publication in CASW should review the following editorial: Schelbe, L., & Thyer, B. A. (2019). Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal Editorial Policy: Guidelines for Authors. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 36, 75-80.