Makin’ It in College

The Value of Significant Individuals in the Lives of Mexican American Adolescents

Datos Bibliográficos

ID12774308
AutoresBernadette Sánchez (0000-0001-5867-5340, DePaul University, autor de correspondencia), Olga Lucía Reyes Ramírez (0000-0001-7753-1000, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, autor de correspondencia), Joshua Singh (DePaul University)
Año2006
Volumen5
Número1
Páginas48-67
Fecha de publicación2006-01-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaJournal of Hispanic Higher Education (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1538-1927 • E-ISSN: 1552-5716
EditorialSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/1538192705282570
OpenAlexW2060934648
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas45
Referencias citadas19

Using a social capital framework, the aim of this study was to examine the role of significant relationships in the academic experiences of Mexican American college students. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 students and 12 of the individuals in their lives who were considered important sources of support. Grounded theory was used to analyze data and various steps, such as member-checking, were taken to enhance the credibility of findings. Parents, peers, siblings, extended family members, and unrelated adults supported these students academically. Parents were the most frequently cited sources of support and played a significant role in motivating students in their education. However, because parents’ relatively low educational status limited the kind of support they could provide, students also benefited from nonparental sources of support. There were five forms of support (e.g., emotional support, cognitive guidance) used to guide students in eight aspects of school life (e.g., college application process, classes). Implications for education and support programs are discussed

Cognition · Credibility · Developmental psychology · Emotional support · Grounded theory · Higher education · Medical education · Pedagogy · Perception · Qualitative research · Social support · Sociology · Disability Education and Employment · Higher Education Research Studies · Parental Involvement in Education · Psychology · Social Psychology