Abstract

The purpose of this study was to understand how first-year undergraduate college students use smartphones to receive parental support. A conceptual framework was implemented to frame the research and focused on first-year college student transitions and development within the context of parental support. A Phenomenological methodology with semi-structured interviews was implemented which explored the phenomenon from both immersive and holistic perspectives. Seven themes emerged from the analysis: decision-making, academic pathways, autonomy, emotional support, access, safety, and preparation. This study provided two recommendations for practice, including to educate students and parents about parental support and to educate parents about specific student success resources. Parental support is unlikely to stop once college begins, which requires students and parents to devise a strategy to maximize the effectiveness of parental support while also remaining mindful of the potential challenges.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2020

Semester

Fall

Advisor

Cox, Thomas

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

College

College of Community Innovation and Education

Department

Educational Leadership and Higher Education

Degree Program

Educational Leadership; Higher Education Track

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0008303; DP0023740

URL

https://purls.library.ucf.edu/go/DP0023740

Language

English

Release Date

December 2020

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access)

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