Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 25, 2025
08:53
Integrating Computerized Linguistic and Social Network Analyses to Capture Addiction Recovery Capital in an Online Community
Published on: May 31, 2019
5.2K
Mining for Retention Gems and Unearthing Identity and Belonging
Benjamin D Aronson1, Emily Eddy1, Michelle R Musser1
1Ohio Northern University Raabe College of Pharmacy, Ada, OH, USA.
American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education
|June 28, 2023
Summary
Student belonging, a key part of professional identity, positively impacts first-year retention in pharmacy school, even more than grades. This highlights the importance of fostering a sense of belonging for student success.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacy education
- Higher education student retention
Background:
- Student retention is crucial in Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs.
- Existing research often prioritizes academic variables like Grade Point Average (GPA) for retention.
- Professional identity formation is increasingly recognized as a factor in student persistence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between first-year retention and factors of professional engagement, academic identity (GPA), and personal identity in pharmacy students.
- To explore how elements of professional identity, specifically belonging, influence student retention.
Main Methods:
- Data from three student cohorts at a private pharmacy college were analyzed.
- Professional engagement scores (first semester) and GPA were used as proxies for professional and academic identities, respectively.
- Logistic regression models examined the association between identity variables and first-year retention.
Main Results:
- A positive association was found between belonging (a component of professional engagement) and first-year retention.
- In multivariable analyses, belonging and cumulative GPA were linked to higher odds of retention.
- Belonging was associated with retention in students with both higher (≥3.00) and lower (<3.00) GPAs, and with first-semester retention.
Conclusions:
- Belonging, as a facet of professional identity, is a significant predictor of first-year pharmacy student retention, independent of academic performance.
- Findings suggest that fostering a sense of belonging is a vital strategy for enhancing student persistence in pharmacy programs.
- This research offers practical insights for educators to improve retention by focusing on professional identity development.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity
87
Adolescence is a pivotal period of identity formation, during which individuals begin to answer questions central to their sense of self, such as "Who am I?" and "Who do I hope to become?" Both parents and peers play critical roles in guiding adolescents through this complex developmental phase.
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth....
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth....
87
01:27Ethnic Identity within a Larger Culture
62
Adolescents from ethnic minority backgrounds face a multifaceted journey in forming their identities, shaped by the intersections of cultural expectations and personal exploration. For these adolescents, identity formation involves not only typical developmental challenges but also navigating the perceptions and attitudes of the majority culture. As they grow, adolescents in ethnic minority groups often become increasingly aware of stereotypes, social biases, and discrimination, all of which...
62
01:26Marcia's Theory of Identity Status
202
James Marcia's identity status model provides a framework for understanding how adolescents navigate identity formation through varying degrees of exploration and commitment. Marcia's model builds on Erik Erikson's theories of psychosocial development, focusing specifically on how adolescents reconcile individual aspirations with societal expectations. His model describes identity formation as a dynamic process where adolescents move between different states depending on their level...
202
02:57The Sense of Self: Reflected Self-Appraisal and Social Comparison
50.1K
According to Charles Cooley, we base our image on what we think other people see (Cooley 1902). We imagine how we must appear to others, then react to this speculation. We don certain clothes, prepare our hair in a particular manner, wear makeup, use cologne, and the like—all with the notion that our presentation of ourselves is going to affect how others perceive us. We expect a certain reaction, and, if lucky, we get the one we desire and feel good about it. But more than that, Cooley...
50.1K
01:19Self-Concept
67
Self-concept is the cognitive and emotional understanding individuals hold about their identity. It evolves through various developmental stages, beginning in infancy and maturing as children grow. This concept influences how individuals perceive their abilities, interact with others, and manage challenges throughout life.
Infancy and Emerging Recognition
During infancy, self-concept is virtually nonexistent. Babies do not distinguish themselves as separate entities and often mistake their...
Infancy and Emerging Recognition
During infancy, self-concept is virtually nonexistent. Babies do not distinguish themselves as separate entities and often mistake their...
67
04:49Robbers Cave
14.3K
During the 1950s, the landmark Robbers Cave experiment demonstrated that when groups must compete with one another, intergroup conflict, hostility, and even violence may result. At the Oklahoman summer camp, two troops of boys—termed the Rattlers and the Eagles—took part in a week-long tournament. During this time, their negativity culminated in derogatory name-calling, fistfights, and even vandalism and destruction of property. However, this work also revealed that such tension...
14.3K