A Qualitative Thematic Analysis of First-Generation College Students’ Help-Seeking Attitudes, Decisions, and Behaviors

Abstract

First-generation college students (FGCS) are significantly less likely to complete degrees compared to continuing-generation students. Among the multifaceted causes for this disparity, many FGCS possess limited social and cultural capital in academia, resulting in lower rates of help-seeking and resource utilization. In this study, we conducted an in-depth qualitative investigation to better understand FGCS's help-seeking attitudes, decisions, and behaviors. Twenty-five first-year FGCS at a 4-year, regional, public university participated in individual interviews. A faculty–student team analyzed interview data using reflective thematic analysis. Our findings demonstrate that FGCS were highly strategic about help-seeking, weighing potential costs and benefits. Though they valued self-sufficiency, FGCS sought support when they identified tangible problems and solutions, when potential providers were accessible and had clearly designated roles, and when helpers conveyed personal interest, empathy, and nonjudgment. These results support several recommendations for policy and practice, including critical consciousness, peer mentoring, and difference-education interventions.