How students see parental communication in the first-year experience

Traditional first-year students face a variety of transitions as they enter higher education, one significant change being a greater sense of autonomy as they move away from home. Researchers at Washington State University wanted to understand how continued parental support during college could help mitigate negative health factors associated with starting college, such as increased stress, anxiety, depression and high-risk alcohol use. The study of over 300 first-year college students found that those who did engage with their parents regularly were more likely to have a positive parent-student relationship, but only if the student reached out first.