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The Role of Peer Group Influence on High-Achieving Student Academic Behaviors Against the Backdrop of the College Admissions Process

Bumiller, Shanna L.
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8719-7552
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1574436309990471

Abstract Details

2019, Doctor of Education, Miami University, Educational Leadership.
Educators in high schools across the United States have noticed an increase in student levels of anxiety and stress. Such increases, in turn, can lead to depression, anxiety disorders, self-harm, suicidal ideation, disordered eating, increased substance abuse, social isolation, and, in the most extreme cases, suicidal completion among students. Students typically attribute the increase in their anxiety and stress levels to academic pressure. The academic pressure often contributes to academic behaviors such as: selecting multiple rigorous courses such as Advanced Placement and obtaining high grades, participating and excelling in extra-curricular activities related to their post-secondary career interest areas, and taking college admission exams multiple times to improve their score(s). Students engage in these behaviors to increase their likelihood of gaining admittance to the college of their choice. This single-embedded case study at a high-achieving, affluent high school in a Midwestern suburban community explored how students' peer groups might be influencing their academic behaviors. This study was ultimately aimed to better understand how educational leaders might improve students' overall well-being and, thus, reduce the high levels of anxiety and stress students are experiencing in a high-achieving high school culture. Personal Investment Theory was utilized to examine the motivational factors that might contribute to how students invest their time, energy, and personal resources. Personal investment is defined as they possession of certain personal resources, such as talents, time, and energy, in addition to choices regarding how to invest those resources based upon a personal frame of reference, peer group influences, and/or the culture in which a person is immersed at a particular point in time (Maehr & Meyer, 1997; Nelson & DeBacker, 2008). This single-embedded case study consisted of twelve semi-structured individual interviews, including: Four with students in the 2019 Suburban High School A graduating class with a cumulative add-on weighted GPA of 4.0 or higher; four with 10-12 grade level Suburban High School A school counselors; and four with Suburban High School A honors and/or AP course level teachers. Findings disclosed three significant areas in which peer groups influence students' personal investment: their sense of self, the norms established and maintained within peer groups, and the influence of peer group norms on the overall culture at Suburban High School A. These findings led to the presentation of several implications and recommendations for educators and for further research. Further investigation into what the overall culture of a school might be communicating to students about what academic behaviors are valued is needed to influence their sense of self and thus peer group influence.
Lucian Szlizewski, Ph.D (Advisor)
Joel Malin, Ph.D (Advisor)
Aimin Wang, Ph.D (Committee Member)
90 p.
Educational Leadership

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Bumiller, S. L. (2019). The Role of Peer Group Influence on High-Achieving Student Academic Behaviors Against the Backdrop of the College Admissions Process [Doctoral dissertation, Miami University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1574436309990471

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Bumiller, Shanna. The Role of Peer Group Influence on High-Achieving Student Academic Behaviors Against the Backdrop of the College Admissions Process. 2019. Miami University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1574436309990471.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Bumiller, Shanna. "The Role of Peer Group Influence on High-Achieving Student Academic Behaviors Against the Backdrop of the College Admissions Process." Doctoral dissertation, Miami University, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1574436309990471

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

miami1574436309990471
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© 2019, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Miami University and OhioLINK.