Date of Award

Spring 5-1-1984

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Education

First Advisor

Stanley Gross

Second Advisor

Reece Chaney

Third Advisor

Arthur M. Horne

Abstract

The purposes of the study were: (1) to determine the develop- ,-/ if .. mental c:1~racteristics, as me~sured by the Student Developmental Task Inventory-2 (SDTI-2), of non-traditional and traditional students at the point of entry into a public community college and (2) to determine if these characteristics differed significantly when compared on the basis of age and sex. The comparison groups included students classified as: non-traditional and traditional, non-traditional and traditional males, and non-traditional and traditional females. The sample for the study was composed of 100 students who were first-time full-time enrollees at Vincennes University in the Spring Semester 1984. The sample included 50 traditional and 50 non-traditional " students, with an equal number of males and females in each group. The participants completed the SDTI-2, the results of which served as the data base for the study. The SDTI-2 is based on three of Chickering's developmental tasks. The tasks and their related subtasks are: Developing Autonomy-Emotional Autonomy, Instrumental Autonomy, and Interdependence; Deve,..l_ oping Purpose- Appropriate Educational Plans, Mature Career Plans, and Mature Life- Style Plans; Developing Mature Interpersonal Relationships-Intimate Relationships with Opposite Sex, Ma~ure Relationships with Peers, and Tolerance. A two-way analysis of variance was performed to determine the levels of significance for the comparison groups on each of the subtasks. Further analyses of the interaction effects of age and sex were accomplished using the Newman-Kuels multiple comparison test. iv The significant findings included that non-traditional students were found to be developmentally more advanced than traditional in carrying out activities and coping with problems without seeking help (1nstrumental Autonomy). Traditional females displayed a better understanding than nontraditional females of the concept that one must contribute to a social structure in order to receive benefits from it (Interdependence). Non-traditional males exhibited a greater ability to relate facts and knowledge about themselves and the world of work than traditional males (Mature Career Plans). In terms of developing peer relationships based on trust, independence, and individuality, the non-traditional males were found to be more advanced than the traditional (Mature Interpersonal Relationships with Peers"). Although significant differences were found on four of the nine subtasks, no clear pattern emerged as to any of the comparison groups being developmentally more advanced on all of the tasks included in the study. It was recommended that decisions based solely on the age of college students be made with caution.

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