A Conceptual Model on the Impact of Mattering, Sense of Belonging, Engagement/Involvement, and Socio-Academic Integrative Experiences on Community College Students’ Intent to Persist

CHAPTER 1  INTRODUCTION 1
CHAPTER 2  LITERATURE REVIEW 10
Student Retention and Persistence to Degree 10
College Student Engagement/Involvement and its Effect on Educational Outcomes 29
Sense of Belonging 35
Mattering 42
Conclusion: Summary of the Literature 59
CHAPTER 3  METHODOLOGY 61
Data Source 61
Sampling 62
Conceptual Model 62
Conceptual Model Propositions 66
Variables in the Model and Support from the Literature 67
Research Questions and Hypotheses 85
Selection of Quantitative Methodology, Model Specification,  and Hypothesis Testing 88
Procedures for Carrying Out Structural Equation Modeling 89
Data Screening Results 93
Data Analyses for Research Questions 109
Conclusion 112
CHAPTER 4  RESULTS 113
Descriptives for Conceptual Model Variables: Differences by Race/Ethnicity, Gender, and Length of College Attendance 113
Structural Equation Modeling Analyses 130
Research Question 1: The Measurement Model 130
Research Question 1.1: Invariance Analysis of Measurement Model for Race/Ethnicity 156
Research Question 2: The Structural Model 162
Research Question 2.1: Invariance Analysis of the Structural Model for Race/Ethnicity 178
Research Question 3: The Effects of Directional Hypotheses on Intent to Persist 191
Research Question 4: The Omnibus “Student Success” Construct? 228
CHAPTER 5  CONCLUSIONS 245
References 268
Appendix A 299
Appendix B 313
CHAPTER 1  INTRODUCTION
	Statement of the Problem
	Importance of the Study
	Purpose of the Study
	Overview of the Conceptual Model
	Summary of Research Questions and Hypotheses
	Organization of the Dissertation
CHAPTER 2  LITERATURE REVIEW
Student Retention and Persistence to Degree
	Definition of Retention and Persistence
	Student Retention Theories and Conceptual Models
	Moving Away From Retention Theory to Practice
College Student Engagement/Involvement and its Effect on Educational Outcomes
	Definition of Engagement
	Propagation of the Engagement Construct
	Student Engagement at the Community College
Sense of Belonging
	Definition of Sense of Belonging
	The Measurement of Sense of Belonging
	Research on Sense of Belonging in College Settings
	Sense of Belonging, Student Persistence, and the Classroom Experience
	A Need for Further Elaboration
Mattering
	Definition of Mattering
	Mattering and the Self-Concept
	The Study of Mattering
	Psychological Correlates of Mattering
	Mattering and the College Student
	Mattering and Student Persistence
Conclusion: Summary of the Literature
CHAPTER 3  METHODOLOGY
Data Source
Sampling
Conceptual Model
Conceptual Model Propositions
Variables in the Model and Support from the Literature
	Input Variables (Exogenous)
	Environment Variables (Exogenous and Endogenous)
	Output Variables (Exogenous)
Research Questions and Hypotheses
Selection of Quantitative Methodology, Model Specification,  and Hypothesis Testing
Procedures for Carrying Out Structural Equation Modeling
Data Screening Results
	Missing Values
	Normality, Identification, and Disposition of Outliers
	Descriptives for Final Sample
Data Analyses for Research Questions
Conclusion
CHAPTER 4  RESULTS
Descriptives for Conceptual Model Variables: Differences by Race/Ethnicity, Gender, and Length of College Attendance
	Differences by Race/Ethnicity
	Differences by Gender
	Differences by Length of College Attendance
	Conclusion of Differences
Structural Equation Modeling Analyses
Research Question 1: The Measurement Model
	Preliminary Confirmatory Factor Analyses by Construct
	Confirmatory Factor Analysis for the Conceptual Model
	Research Question 1 Conclusion
Research Question 1.1: Invariance Analysis of Measurement Model for Race/Ethnicity
	Configural, Measurement, and Structural Invariance
	Latent Means Analysis for Measurement Model
	Research Question 1.1 Conclusion
Research Question 2: The Structural Model
	Assessment of the Structural Model for Intent to Persist
Research Question 2.1: Invariance Analysis of the Structural Model for Race/Ethnicity
	Configural, Measurement, and Structural Invariance
	Research Question 2.1 Conclusion
Research Question 3: The Effects of Directional Hypotheses on Intent to Persist
	Findings for Hypothesis 1
	Findings for Hypothesis 2
	Findings for Hypothesis 3
	Findings for Hypothesis 4
	Findings for Hypothesis 5
	Conclusion for Research Question 3
	Direct and Indirect Effects of the Respecified Conceptual Model on Intent to Persist, Mattering, Sense of Belonging, Engagement/Involvement, and Socio-Academic Integrative Experiences
		Direct and Indirect Effects of Intent to Persist
		Direct and Indirect Effects of Perceptions of Mattering to the College
		Direct and Indirect Effects of Sense of Belonging
		Direct and Indirect Effects of Engagement/Involvement
		Direct and Indirect Effects of Socio-academic Integrative Experiences
Research Question 4: The Omnibus “Student Success” Construct?
	Second-Order Confirmatory Factor Analysis
	Research Question 4 Conclusion
	Chapter 4 Conclusion
CHAPTER 5  CONCLUSIONS
	Summary and Discussion of Findings
	Rearticulation of Conceptual Model Propositions on Intent to Persist
	Implications for Theory
	Implications for Research & Limitations
	Implications for Practice
	Conclusion
References
Appendix A
Appendix B