Commuter vs. Residential Students: How Satisfied Are They? (Research Paper Sample)

Commuter vs. Residential Students: How Satisfied Are They? The ability to be in greater control of thyself is a kind of intelligence not everyone can have. It is like someone foreseeing their future in the mirror, and after that creates such actions to make it possible. Or shall we say, a kid who dreamed of becoming a lawyer, studied well, followed his or her parent's advice, was not shaken by the adversities of life and graduated? Those mentioned ideas were achieved because of self-determination. According to Neronana (2020), self-determination is a "conceptual framework that elucidates how interpersonal environments promote optimal human development and functioning”. In the study of Jimenez, et.al. (2021), states that "Some personal factors play a determining role in the process along with contextual factors”. With these, we can say that self-determination is a process of accessing external and internal factors through a "higher level of motivation, increased level of mental health, with higher levels of performance, and with greater levels of subjective well-being” (Nowell, 2016). Therefore, we can associate motivation and self-determination with satisfaction. In the study of Whitten (2020), students’ persistence is the product of a sense of belonging. The context of this research, when we say sense of belonging, it is the success "in cultivating caring, and positive relationships between students and faculty”. In likewise manner, the social support network, based on the study of Skahill (2002), played a role in college persistence among freshmen students. In this study, Commuter vs. Residential Students: How Satisfied Are They? we explored correlating variables that are linked to college satisfaction, academic success, and belongingness. This study hypothesized that students who have higher levels of belongingness, autonomy, competency, and self-determination will have higher levels of satisfaction with their college experience. Method Participants We chose a non-random convenience sample of students at Quinnipiac University’s PS 101 course to participate in our study. Individuals who participated in our study consisted of a variation of college first-year students, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. It is our priority to fully examine the demographics of our sample (e.g., commuter and residential students). Materials For our study, we used Goodenow’s 1993 Psychological Sense of School Membership Scale. The PSSM Scale measures the levels of satisfaction amongst college students on a 5-point Likert scale. The scale range consists of the statement “I feel like a part of my school” and participants will answer “1- Not at all true, to 5- Completely true”. We chose this scale because we wanted to examine any underlying variables that would be correlated to academic persistence and motivation. Deci and Ryan’s 2000 Basic Psychological Needs Scale will measure belongingness, competency, and autonomy (Deci& Ryan, 2000). Participants will respond to statements “Often, I do not feel very competent.” and will respond using a 7-point Likert scale ranging from (1- Not at all true, to 7- Very true). Diener and Emmons The Satisfaction With Life Scale will measure participants’ life satisfaction levels as a whole (Diener et al., 1985). Participants will again respond to statements that accurately correspond to their situation on a 7-point Likert scale. Responses will range from (1 Strongly disagree to 7 Strongly agree). It is our intention to examine the variables that will address our research question (e.g., Will residential students have higher levels of satisfaction than commuter students due to Self-Determination theory?). Lastly, students will complete a questionnaire that addresses their demographic situation (e.g., their commute time to school, family living situation, or graduating class year). Upon our findings, we will examine the variables that are correlated to the findings of our study. We predict residential students will have higher levels of satisfaction during their college experience because they have more exposure to academic resources, social resources, and activities. Procedure As researchers, we will have participants from the PS101 course complete the 3 different satisfaction scales (PSSMS, BPNS, and SWLS). Participants will also answer questions that will address their living situation last to ensure that the data will not be compromised. Upon completion of the surveys, they will be debriefed to ensure the confidentiality of the study. Results Predicting School Membership Descriptive Statistics Participants reported a mean school membership score of 65.12 (SD = 12.93), a mean autonomy score of 4.85 (SD = 0.89), a mean relatedness score of 5.40 (SD= 5.40), and a mean competency score of 5.02 (SD= 0.95). Multiple Regressions As predicted, school membership was significantly related to both relatedness, β = .503, p < .001, and competence, β = .329, p = .003. However, school membership was not significantly related to autonomy, β = .085, p =.390 and residential status β= .024, p= .744. All predictor variables accounted for 67.4% of the variance in school membership scores, R2 = .674, p < .001. Predicting Life Satisfaction Descriptive Statistics Participants reported a mean life satisfaction score of 23.52 (SD= 6.46), a mean autonomy score of 4.86 (SD= 0.90), a mean relatedness score of 5.42 (SD= 1.08), and a mean competence score of 5.03 (SD= 0.96). Multiple Regressions As predicted, life satisfaction was significantly related to relatedness, β = .566, p < .001. In addition, life satisfaction and residential status were marginally significantly correlated, β = -.165, p = .058. However, life satisfaction was not significantly related to autonomy, β = .122, p = .286, or competence, β = .167, p = .185. All predictor variables accounted for 58.2% of the variance in life satisfaction scores, R2 = .582, p < .001. Discussion There were 4 hypotheses taken for the present study. 1- School membership is positively related to Psychological needs (relatedness and competence). 2- Life satisfaction has a positive relationship with relatedness 3- Life satisfaction has a positive relationship with autonomy 4- Life satisfaction has a positive relationship with residential status. Among all, hypotheses 1, 2, and 4 were found to be true after the obtained results of the study. The results rejected hypothesis 3. Below is given a discussion of the hypothesis's acceptance and rejection from the previous literature. Hypothesis 1 was found to be true and is supported by the previous literature results. Guay and co-workers (2021) found similar results on the basis of self-determinism, relatedness (father and teacher) was found to have a strong positive relationship with membership trajectories of students to the school. Another study (Hussain, & Ruedas, 2018) found similar results and it revealed a working connection between relatedness (peer and teacher) and school- membership. Hypothesis 2 was also supported by the previous literature to be true for the present study as well. The supporting literature (Xie et al., 2016) concluded similar results that interpersonal relatedness (related to parents) was positively correlated with the life satisfaction of students in school life. Hypothesis 3 was not supported by the literature and hence, it is rejected for the present study. The previously done study (Ferguson & Jahng, 2011) showed that in the patterns of self-motivation and determination, the autonomy perception of the student is a strong mediator for both; general and school-life satisfaction. Hypothesis 4 was also supported by the previous literature. Chan and co-workers (2018) conducted a study on sleep hours during delayed school start time and they found that sleep hours give more satisfaction to the school children who have residential permission in the school (boarding schools are an example). In another study, Gould (2011) found a strong positive relationship between students’ satisfaction and their residence in school. Conclusion Based on the facts and results above, it shows that the commuter students had higher levels of satisfaction due to persistent and self-determination theory compared to the residential students. This is because the interpersonal environment and internal motivation push them to strive and aim for more. 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