Transition to first-year university: Patterns of change in adjustment across life domains and time

The purpose of this prospective study was to (1) monitor the change in adju stment across time and life domains and (2) identity the resources predicti ve of short- and long-term adjustment to the university transition. A sampl e of 68 first-year students reported on events, resources, and well-being a t four times across the year. Coping and appraisal were evaluated specifica lly in relation to th ree life domains (e.g., academic). Results showed tha t this transition represents a relatively acute stressor, evidencing the gr eatest strain for students and the largest impact on their well-being on en try. As time passed, students experienced steady improvement in most aspect s of adjustment. Results also suggested that women, despite having more res ources, may have greater vulnerability to this transition. Finally, the imp ortance of a specific resource to the prediction of well-being depended on the measure of well-being assessed, the specific life domain addressed, the time of assessment, and whether or not concomitant change between predicto r and criterion variables was taken into account.