UC San Diego

ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION

"Siempre échamos ganas:" A Phenomenological Study Exploring First-generation Latinx Undergraduate Student Sources of Stress, Coping, and Resiliency. A Social Justice Perspective

by

Geneva M. Sanchez

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

University of California, San Diego, 2021 California State University, San Marcos, 2021

Professor Sinem Siyahhan

There is a crisis on campus. Across Southern California and nationwide, unprecedented numbers of college students are seeking counseling for mental and emotional difficulties (Boyd-Barrett, & Haire, 2018). College students arrive at college with more severe mental health issues each year (Danitz, et al., 2016). A recent assessment by the American College Health Association found that “over the previous year, 40.1% of college students struggle to function due to stress, 53.1% reported feeling hopeless, 68% felt very sad, and 86.9% endorsed feeling overwhelmed” (ACHA, 2017). This study investigates the sources of stress for first-generation Latinx undergraduate students and how general stress and stress due to racism and discrimination impact their academic performance and outcomes. Additionally, this research looks at coping mechanisms and what support systems students use to mitigate negative impacts of stress and how coping and support systems are associated with academic success. Critical race theory is used in this research and is intended to turn the current marginalization of minorities into a source for political mobilization around issues of social justice (Lo, et al., 2017; Smith, et al., 2007). The current research finds that effective coping strategies were used to improve mental health outcomes and that support systems such as family, peers, and enduring student-faculty interactions influence student academic persistence, create academic self-concepts, and produce better learning outcomes for Latinx students (Kim, Rennick, and Franco, 2014).