Most of the contemporary college students report cumulative distress levels, which tasks the centers of college counseling with identifying every now and then creative methodologies towards providing additional support to these students. Given the ever-changing lifestyles and the nature of the society that we are currently in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder has become a societal problem. Moreover, given its prevalence, it is not strange to find a student in the college lecture room suffering from [PTSD].
This negatively hampers these students potential towards effectively realizing a positive education experience. Although various studies have documented the psychological effects on traumatic events survivors. But studies on traumatic events and college students’ academic performances are inadequate. Hence, this paper proposes research on the effects of traumatic events and college students' academic performances.
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Background and Significance of the Problem
PTSD is a psychological disorder that takes place at any point subsequent to the victim being involved in a threatening besides traumatic event, and which encompasses physiologic, behavioral, relational, cognitive, and affective symptoms (Boyraz et al, 2016). Besides, traumatic hallucinations and dissociative indications, along with normal functioning impairment. Kaysen and associates (2014) emphasize that several studies have indicated that up to seventy percent of college students are victims of PTSD.; which is much higher than the PTSD incidence found in the broad-spectrum populace. In the immediate aftermath following the witnessing of the traumatic threat including physical attack, sexual assault, severe car accident, combat situation, and natural disasters (Boyraz et al, 2016). The student might have the event’s flashbacks, nightmares, having distress sleeping, and having recollections that can make it tough to have positive education experience.
Following Boyraz and colleagues (2016) even though some of these experiences may soon start to fade-off, and being able to resume positively their normal routines. However, there are some situations whereby the student does not effusively recover from what they witnessed as well as happened to them. Some studies have revealed that female students, students from working beside lower-middle social classes, those who are non-Christians, racial and sexual minorities have a high likelihood of developing PTSD (Kaysen et al., 2014).
This indeed has a negative effect on these students' academic performances. Hence, this study will focus on how traumatic events affect college students' academic performances through negatively impacting on them towards experiencing positive education due to frequent absenteeism and poor responsiveness to college support.
Statement of the Problem
The significance of this problem is timely, as college students’ academic performances are of superior significance for potential postgraduate education options and subsequently their long-lasting professions and careers (Kaysen et al., 2014). As a consequence, Boyraz and colleagues (2016) advocate that if interjected it can have a negative effect on their future individual lives. Latest studies on chronic and acute traumatic events review concerning school functioning have indicated that social-emotional and behavioral functioning, cognitive and academic functioning are affected following traumatic events.
Study Purpose
Thus the study has the ultimate purpose of understanding better creative methodologies that can be engaged towards providing additional support to these students so that they can realize positive college education experiences.
Research Questions
The research questions that will support the researcher towards effectively accomplishing this research are:
What is the effect on the college student’s absence from college after the traumatic event? and
What is the level of college support as observed by the student, and the relationship of the support to academic performance?
Hypothesis: Research and Null
The hypothesis to be tested for question one include:
H 0 (Null Hypothesis): College student's absence increases after a traumatic event, but reduces afterward
H a (Alternative Hypothesis): College student’s absence is not affected after the traumatic event
The hypothesis to be tested for question one include:
H 0 (Null Hypothesis): The level of college support is satisfactory as observed by students, and there is a relationship between support and academic performance
H a (Alternative Hypothesis ): The level of college support is not satisfactory as observed by students, and there is a no relationship between support and academic performance
Identifying and Defining Study Variables
In this study, the socio-demographic variables shall include the college student's age, gender, and ethnicity. The dependent variable shall be the academic performances of the college students measured by utilizing the college student's grade point averages of all subjects. The independent variables will include school support and subjective academic performance.
Operationalizing Variables
The socio-demographic variables shall include the college student’s age, gender, and ethnicity; whereby the researcher shall ask the respondent’s age, gender, and ethnicity. With ethnicity being defined as African American, Hispanic, Asia American, and White. The school support independent variable will be assessed by asking the respondents whether there is a counseling facility at the college and whether the college has done anything to protect their learning situations.
Moreover, whether they are satisfied or not about the facilitation besides support. The subjective academic performance independent variable that will be examined through probing whether the respondents believe their college performance has changed following the traumatic event, using the response options as better, worse and unchanged.
References
Boyraz, G., Granda, R., Baker, C. N., Tidwell, L. L., & Waits, J. B. (2016). Posttraumatic stress, effort regulation, and academic outcomes among college students: A longitudinal study. Journal of Counseling Psychology , 63 (4), 475.
Kaysen, D., Atkins, D. C., Simpson, T. L., Stappenbeck, C. A., Blayney, J. A., Lee, C. M., & Larimer, M. E. (2014). Proximal relationships between PTSD symptoms and drinking among female college students: Results from a daily monitoring study. Psychology of addictive behaviors , 28 (1), 62.
