“If I Hadn’t Had that Support System, I Think I Would Have Dropped Out by Now”: Parental Support in College and its Implications for Student Adjustment

Abstract

Understanding college students’ perceptions of parental support and its impact on student adjustment have important implications for maximizing retention rates within higher education institutions. College students ( N = 53) participated in qualitative interviews focused on students’ perceptions of mothers’ and fathers’ support during college and its impact on college adjustment. Holistic coding interviews indicated three different classifications of parents based on levels of support: supportive, ambivalent, and unsupportive. Students indicated that their parents continued to be the main source of support and a key factor that supports their adjustment during the college years. In contrast, students who did not receive such support expressed having difficulties continuing working toward their degree. Students’ narratives also indicated that mothers and fathers provided support in different ways. These findings have important implications for practice, and in particular how high education institutions can promote adjustment and retention rates by encouraging parental engagement.