The Development of Life Purpose in College Students: A Preliminary Study on the Effects of an International Living and Learning Experience

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The Development of Life Purpose in College
Students A Preliminary Study on the Effects of
an International Living and Learning Experience

• Cindy Miller-Perrin
• Don Thompson
• Pepperdine University
• Conference of the Association
• for the Study of Higher Education
• November 7, 2009

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The Value of Study Abroad

• Foreign Language Proficiency
• Enhanced Cultural Understanding
• Personal Growth
• Intellectual
• Emotional
• External vs. Internal Educational Goals

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Research Hypothesis

• Students who participate in an International
  Program have more significant growth in faith,
  sense of life purpose and calling, and identity
  than those who do not.

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Sampling Method

• Participants drawn from stratified random sample
  of 300 students from 2002 entering class
• Current sample included 74 students ranging in
  age from 18-22 years

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Sample Demographics

• Participants primarily Caucasian (70)
• Primarily Protestant (65)
• Parental income over 100,000 (47)

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Dependent Measures

• Faith Surveys
• Faith Attitudes and Experiences
• Identity Status
• Diffusion, Foreclosure, Moratorium, Achievement
• Life Purpose
• Sense of Life Purpose, Calling, Discernment
• Service Toward Others

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Faith Attitude Survey
Subscales Sample Items
Strength of Beliefs I view myself as a religious person. I have doubts about whether my religious beliefs are true.
Importance of Faith Religion is not a very important part of my life right now. My faith is not very important to me.
Life Application of Faith I depend on my faith in God for decision-making and direction. I try hard to carry my religious beliefs into all other dealings in my life.
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Faith Experience Survey
Subscales Sample Items
Religious Behavior How often do you attend religious services? How often have you read the bible in the last year? Within your religious or spiritual tradition, how often do you meditate?
Spiritual Feelings I find strength and comfort in my religion or faith I feel God's love for me, directly or through others
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Ego Identity Status Measure

• Classifies subjects into one of four identity
  groups
• Achievement exploration and commitment
• It took me a while to figure it out, but now I
  really know what I want for a career.
• Moratorium exploration without commitment
• Religion is confusing to me right now. I keep
  changing my views on what is right and wrong for
  me.
• Foreclosure no exploration, but commitment
• My parents decided a long time ago what I should
  go into for employment and Im following through
  with their plans.
• Diffusion no exploration or commitment
• I havent really considered politics. It just
  doesnt excite me much.

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Vocational Calling Survey
Subscales Sample Items
Sense of Life Purpose, Calling, and Discernment I have a well-developed understanding of what my gifts and talents are. I have a good sense for my purpose in life
Service Toward Others I plan to enter a career that emphasizes service to others. I feel a deep sense of responsibility for reducing pain and suffering in the world.
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International Programs at Pepperdine University

• Provide students a life changing international
  experience designed for intellectual, social,
  personal and spiritual transformation.
• Buenos Aires, Costa Rica, Florence, Heidelberg,
  Honduras, Hong Kong, Lausanne, London, Madrid,
  Thailand
• 55 of sophomores participate
• Student Experiences

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Living Learning Community
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Academic Community
Library, computer lab, offices, classrooms,
dorm rooms, student center
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Spiritual Community
Weekly Bible Studies and House Church
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Mentoring Community

• The mentor-protégé relationship
• is critical.

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Travel

• Students travel each weekend
• Program-wide field trip each term

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Research Procedure

• Web-based survey, administered every spring
  semester of students college career
• Response rate ranged from 64-83
• Analyzed subsample matched on age and sex
• IP Group 37 students who attended an
  international program during their sophomore year
• No IP Group 37 students who did not attend an
  international program

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Results

• Preliminary analyses using chi-square analyses
  indicated no significant IP group differences on
  measures of SES, religion, or ethnicity
• Compared IP vs. No IP groups during first and
  senior years on measures of faith, vocational
  calling, and identity using repeated measures
  ANOVA

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Faith Application Scores for First-Year and
Senior Time Periods
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Sense of Calling Scores for First-Year and Senior
Time Periods
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Service Scores for First-Year and Senior Time
Periods
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Achievement Scores for First-Year and Senior Time
Periods
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Summary of Findings

• International Living and Learning Experiences
  Enhance
• Faith Application
• Vocational Discernment
• Vocational Service
• Identity Achievement

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Implications

• Shake students loose. Introduce them to an
  experience, preferably in another culture,
• that demands that they question life
  assumptions.
• Facilitate a sense of community, requiring mutual
  dependency and trust.
• Practice mentoring. Train faculty and staff.
  Provide opportunities for the mentor-protégé
  connection.
• Transformation will occur watch for and nurture
  it.

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Conclusions

• International living and learning experiences
  facilitate greater growth in faith, sense of life
  purpose, and identity
• Significant opportunities for personal growth
  occur when students leave their cultural comfort
  zone and rely on communities with mentoring
  support.

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cperrin_at_pepperdine.eduthompson_at_pepperdine.edu