Date of Award
6-1-1969
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Counseling Psychology & Community Services
Abstract
Problem: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of various academic, personality, and biographical factors to the academic achievement of American and Canadian male college freshmen.
Procedure: The subjects employed in this study were 31 American and 31 Canadian male college freshmen enrolled at the University of North Dakota during the 1968-1969 academic year.
These students were administered the American College Test immediately preceding the beginning of the fall semester. During the semester each student was administered the Biographical Data Questionnaire, the Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation- Behavior scale, and the Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation-Feelings scale.
The statistical techniques employed included the multiple regression technique, the chi-square test, and the Zr transformation. The .05 level was used for evaluating the significance of obtained results.
Findings: The major findings of this study are summarized below:
1. There was a significant relationship between performance on the four academic areas of the American College Test and first semester achievement in college of American male freshmen.
2. There was a significant relationship between high school grade point average and first semester achievement in college of American male freshmen.
3. There was a significant relationship between one area of expressed behavior (Expressed Control), as measured by FIRO-B, and first semester grade point average of American male freshmen.
4. There was a significant negative relationship between two areas of wanted feelings (Wanted Inclusion and Wanted Control) and first semester achievement in college for the Canadian male freshmen.
5. There were significant multiple relationships between the five academic variables (four ACT subtests and high school grade point average), and the six areas of the FIRO-B, and first semester college achievement for the American male freshmen.
6. There was a significant difference in the multiple relationship between the five academic variables (four ACT subtests and high school grade point average), and the college achievement of American and Canadian male freshmen.
7. The occupation of father differentiated significantly between American and Canadian male freshmen.
Conclusions: It was concluded that the American College Test and high school grade point average provided the best prediction of college achievement for the American freshmen. These variables were not useful in the prediction of college achievement for the Canadian freshmen.
In addition, several of the personality variables were found to be related to college achievement. However, it was concluded that the specific personality variables which were related to college achievement differed somewhat for the two samples of students.
Selected biographical data such as parental education, participation in intercollegiate athletics, size of home town, and size of high school graduating class were not significantly related to the college achievement of either the American or Canadian freshmen. However, the two samples of students differed with respect to paternal occupation.
Recommended Citation
Grady, William E., "Selected Variables Related to Academic Achievement of American and Canadian Male Freshmen at the University of North Dakota" (1969). Theses and Dissertations. 3700.
https://commons.und.edu/theses/3700