272 - WELL-BEING AMONG MULTIRACIAL STUDENTS AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT: A SOCIAL COGNITIVE CAREER THEORY MODEL

Session: P_D16S001 - Poster Session 1 - Division 16
AUTHORS:
Soon Katherine (University at Albany, Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology ~ Albany ~ United States of America) , Sheu Hung-Bin (University at Albany, Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology ~ Albany ~ United States of America)
Abstract text:
Introduction: Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) posits that self-efficacy is a function of environmental supports; further, that academic self-efficacy then fosters greater life satisfaction. Within this, a number of cultural and contextual are relevant. This study focuses on multiracial students as previous literature has connected multiracial youth in the United States with worse mental health outcomes (Oh et al., 2023).


Purpose: Given this disparity, understanding mechanisms to foster life satisfaction may be helpful for intervention and counseling contexts. Three research questions were considered: 1) what academic supports are important for multiracial students, 2) how do academic supports relate to academic self-efficacy, and is this relationship moderated by independence and interdependence, and 3) how do these variables relate to life satisfaction?


Method: A dataset including the relevant variables for students in the USA who identified as multiracial (N = 208) was analyzed. A factor analysis was used to better understand academic supports. Two regression models were used to assess how different forms of support relate to academic self-efficacy and life satisfaction.


Results: Two factors of academic support were identified, accounting for 62% of the variance in the data: mentor/instructor support and friends/family support. Using a regression model, independence (β = 0.238, p < .001), mentor/instructor support (β = 0.193, p = .021) and friend/family support (β = 0.160, p = .048) all significantly predicted academic self-efficacy, but neither independence nor interdependence moderated the relationships. Rather, independence and interdependence related to life satisfaction. Only friends/family support significantly predicted satisfaction with life (t = 3.126, p = 0.002).


Conclusions: The data lend to a better understanding of academic self-efficacy and life satisfaction among multiracial Americans. Notably, the two forms of academic supports had different relationships with life satisfaction and career self-efficacy, which has implications for vocational counseling.