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A GROUNDED THEORY OF OVERCOMMITMENT IN UNDERGRADUATE COLLEGE STUDENTS

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Date Issued:
2021
Abstract/Description:
This qualitative grounded theory study created a theory, including a definition, of overcommitment in undergraduate students at a four-year public institution. Although overcommitment has been studied for decades, the concept of overcommitment in undergraduate students has not been thoroughly explored. Undergraduate students can overcommit in a variety of domains, including academics and co-curricular activities. The central research question for this study is, how do full-time undergraduate students define overcommitment? Overcommitment has been tied to several mental and physical health issues. With student mental health issues on the rise on college campuses, it is imperative that overcommitment in undergraduate students be explored and defined. This study included 21 undergraduate college student participants, who met the following criteria: (1) enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student; (2) identified by a higher education professional as committed or overcommitted. Data was collected through a demographic survey, as well as, 60-minute semi-structured interviews on Zoom with each student participant. Data were analyzed through three rounds of coding: (1) open coding, (2) axial coding, and (3) selective coding. Three major themes emerged from the analysis of the undergraduate students’ overcommitment definitions: doing too much, lack of basic self-care, and detriments to mental and physical health. After synthesis, it was determined that undergraduate students define overcommitment as “taking on too many commitments to the overall detriment of mental and physical health, due to the lack of basic self-care.” The interview codes were ultimately developed into themes to create the theory of undergraduate student overcommitment as evidenced in the Undergraduate Student Overcommitment Model and answer the remaining research sub-questions about identification, challenges, benefits, and social supports and strategies. The theory explains undergraduate students’ rationale for overcommitting and has six levels: self, family, peers, school, future dreams and goals, and society.
Title: A GROUNDED THEORY OF OVERCOMMITMENT IN UNDERGRADUATE COLLEGE STUDENTS.
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Name(s): Adam, Molly, author
Bloom, Jennifer L. , Thesis advisor
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Created: 2021
Date Issued: 2021
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 285 p.
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: This qualitative grounded theory study created a theory, including a definition, of overcommitment in undergraduate students at a four-year public institution. Although overcommitment has been studied for decades, the concept of overcommitment in undergraduate students has not been thoroughly explored. Undergraduate students can overcommit in a variety of domains, including academics and co-curricular activities. The central research question for this study is, how do full-time undergraduate students define overcommitment? Overcommitment has been tied to several mental and physical health issues. With student mental health issues on the rise on college campuses, it is imperative that overcommitment in undergraduate students be explored and defined. This study included 21 undergraduate college student participants, who met the following criteria: (1) enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student; (2) identified by a higher education professional as committed or overcommitted. Data was collected through a demographic survey, as well as, 60-minute semi-structured interviews on Zoom with each student participant. Data were analyzed through three rounds of coding: (1) open coding, (2) axial coding, and (3) selective coding. Three major themes emerged from the analysis of the undergraduate students’ overcommitment definitions: doing too much, lack of basic self-care, and detriments to mental and physical health. After synthesis, it was determined that undergraduate students define overcommitment as “taking on too many commitments to the overall detriment of mental and physical health, due to the lack of basic self-care.” The interview codes were ultimately developed into themes to create the theory of undergraduate student overcommitment as evidenced in the Undergraduate Student Overcommitment Model and answer the remaining research sub-questions about identification, challenges, benefits, and social supports and strategies. The theory explains undergraduate students’ rationale for overcommitting and has six levels: self, family, peers, school, future dreams and goals, and society.
Identifier: FA00013829 (IID)
Degree granted: Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2021.
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Includes bibliography.
Subject(s): Undergraduate college students
Grounded theory
Undergraduates--Mental health
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013829
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.