STUDY: Family and Peers Essential to Mexican-American College Student Success
Hispanics are enrolling in the higher education system at a greater rate than ever, yet they are less likely than their non-Hispanic peers to enter college or earn degrees, according to the Pew Hispanic Center. A new study by a University of Missouri researcher found that Mexican-American college students’ family and peer attachments are associated with prosocial and physically aggressive behaviors that can affect their success in college.
Gustavo Carlo, Millsap Professor of Diversity in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, found that college students who maintained strong relationships with their parents and peers were more likely to report less physical aggression and higher levels of empathy, an emotion associated with more prosocial behaviors, such as assisting in emergencies or helping others without expecting a reward.
“The ability to develop secure, trusting, intimate relationships is a marker of positive development,” Carlo said. “Close parent and peer attachments lead to positive outcomes such as successful social functioning, academic competence and contributions to society.”
