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Related Experiment Videos

What predicts adjustment among law students? A longitudinal panel study.

Mary E Pritchard1, Daniel N McIntosh

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Colorado, USA. mp43@evansville.edu

The Journal of Social Psychology
|December 9, 2003
PubMed
Summary

First-year law students experience declines in psychological and physical health, and attitudes toward law. Lower relationship happiness, less emotional support, and passive coping strategies predict poorer adjustment during law school.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Legal Education
  • Student Well-being

Background:

  • Previous studies indicated law students experience distress during their first year.
  • Few studies controlled for prelaw school status or explored predictive psychosocial factors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate predictors of adjustment in first-year law students.
  • To examine the roles of stress sources, coping strategies, and relationship factors.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study tracking psychological health, physical health, and attitudes toward law.
  • Assessment of stress sources, coping strategies, and relationship factors at the start of the year.

Main Results:

  • Replicated declines in psychological health, physical health, and attitudes toward law.

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  • Found fewer gender differences than prior research.
  • Lower relationship happiness, less emotional support, and less active coping predicted poorer outcomes.
  • Academic strain, lack of personal time, and social isolation correlated with negative outcomes.

    • Conclusions:

    • First-year law school adjustment is influenced by relationship quality, social support, and coping mechanisms.
    • Academic pressures and social factors significantly impact student well-being.