UC Santa Barbara

Research conducted by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center found that amid the pandemic undergraduate enrollment fell by 6.6% from Fall 2019 to Fall 2021, representing just over a million students (Conley & Massa, 2022). The literature points to college adjustment as vital to individuals’ retention and completion of college (Baker & Siryk, 1984; Gerdes & Mallinckrodt, 1994). As declines occur due to the impact of a global pandemic it is critical to understand how to support students in their adjustment and persistence through college. A mixed methods approach was used to gain a better understanding of the role that family plays for Latine undergraduate students’ adjustment to college during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the qualitative component, participants described their unique experience navigating changes during unprecedented times, which resulted in four emergent themes: Psychological Impacts of COVID-19, Transitions Amid the Pandemic, Perceived Support, and Adjustment Mechanisms. Quantitative data suggests there is a predictive relationship between specific family variables and adjustment to college, such that low stress, high perceived family support, high levels of familismo, and low levels of family achievement guilt significantly predict college adjustment. This dissertation contributes to the literature on the psychological experiences and college adjustment of Latine undergraduate students under additional stressful circumstances caused by the pandemic. Findings have implications for practitioners, higher education administrators, and policy makers working to support retention efforts among Latine college students.