A mediation analysis of spirituality, wellbeing, and academic performance in first-generation and low-income college students

Abstract

Mental health and attainment gaps comprise dual crises on today's college and university campuses, especially for first-generation and low-income students. Despite the common history and heritage of spirituality and religious foundations of America's colleges and universities, current norms and preferences have rendered candid discussions of spirituality to be, at best, passe, and, at worst, regressive. Despite extensive literature linking spirituality with psychological wellbeing, little is known as to what relationship, if any, spirituality has with psychological wellbeing and academic performance, particularly among first-generation and low-income students. This study uses a cross-sectional survey design. This study was conducted at a public, regional, Midwestern institution within an hour's driving radius of the Kansas City metropolitan area. Data were collected through a survey, rendering 135 participants. Quantitative analysis found that there was no statistical difference between first-generation or low-income students and their peers in spirituality or wellbeing, that spirituality that is or once was salient to the student was correlated with and predicts psychological wellbeing, that there was a relationship between psychological wellbeing and academic performance in specific circumstances, and that there was an indirect effect between spirituality and academic performance in the presence of psychological wellbeing. These data provide insight into the nature of the relationship between spirituality, wellbeing, and academic performance among college students and present implications for practitioners and researchers alike. [CHECK DIACRITICS]