campus, as an example may feel less restraint with respect to the consumption of alcohol than students commuting to classes from residences in their parents' homes. Students commuting to classes from off campus housing that does not involve family relationships, however, may feel less restraint with respect to the consumption of alcohol than students living on campus. Conversely, students residing in their parents' homes and commuting to classes may experience greater difficulties in becoming socialized into the campus community than do students living in other forms of off campus housing, who in turn may experience greater socialization problems than is true of students residing on campus.
The relationship between residence type and academic performance among college and university students is complex. The proposed research project will investigate this relationship. The research question that will be investigated in the proposed project is as follows: Does the type of residence affect the academic performance of first year college students when controlled for academic ability?
Academic performance will be the dependent variable. Academic performance will be measured in the context of GPA. Residence type will be the independent variable. Residence classifications will be (1) on campus residence hall, (2) on campus (or near campus) fraternity or sorority house, (3) off campus parental home, and (4) off campus not family related. Academic ability will be a covariate. Academic ability will be equated with SAT scores. Intervening variables will be change in alcohol consumption, change in campus socialization, change in experienced depression, and change in experienced anxiety. Change in alcohol consumption from last year in high school, change in the level of campus socialization, change in experienced depression, and change in experienced anxiety will all be measured on the following five point scale: much greater, g...