Abstract
Social support and academic motivation play an imperative role in university students’ success. This study investigated the influence of perceived social support and academic motivation on academic persistence. The participants included 207 undergraduate first-generation black students (FGBS) from a comprehensive university in South Africa (Mean age = 28.82 years; standard deviation [SD] = 5.15). The results revealed that perceived friendship support and academic motivation significantly predicted academic persistence. In addition, academic motivation significantly mediated the association between perceived friendship support and academic persistence. The results further demonstrated that academic motivation was a significant mediator in the association between perceived social support from significant others and academic persistence. The study highlights the need for universities to devise support interventions to heighten perceptions of social support and academic motivation among FGBS so as to enhance their desire for academic persistence.
Contribution: This article provides an empirical understanding of the challenges FGBS encounter in institutions of higher learning and offers practical strategies that higher education administrators could implement to support historically disadvantaged students in their endeavour to succeed in their studies.
Keywords: academic motivation; academic persistence; first-generation black students; higher learning; perceived social support; undergraduate students; university.
Introduction
The configuration of the South African higher education system has its origins in colonial descent and, to a large extent, the apartheid administration. In 1959, the apartheid government of South Africa introduced the Extension of University Education Act, which sought to exclude non-white students from existing universities and pave the way for their admission to subpar designated universities, based on race and ethnicity (Du Pisani 2023). The Extension of University Education Act was enacted to advance systemic racial exclusion and participation in higher education. However, despite its abolishment, it continues to define the higher education landscape in South Africa. This is evident in the perpetual systemic challenges related to academic exclusion and low rates of retention and graduation among previously disadvantaged groups, particularly black students.
Since the end of apartheid, South Africa has made significant progress towards increasing the participation of black students in higher education. However, challenges have characterised a notable increase of previously disadvantaged students at institutions of higher learning. Student dropout is one such challenge that confronts the South African higher education system (Council on Higher Education 2016; Van Zyl 2015). Van Zyl (2015) noted that dropout is extremely prominent among undergraduate students at South African institutions of higher learning. Scott, Yeld and Hendry (2007) reported that approximately 25% of students drop out during the first year of their studies in South Africa. Moreover, Van Zyl (2015) added that between 50% and 60% of students at South African universities drop out in their first year of study. It was further revealed that 10.3% of the 2017 cohort of first-time-entering university students in South Africa dropped out after 1 year of study (Department of Higher Education and Training 2021). These alarming figures raise concern about the future of institutions of higher learning in South Africa (Singh & Moodley 2015) because, globally, among other factors, the success of institutions of higher learning is measured by the rate of student retention. Therefore, high dropout rates pose a threat to the legislative mandate and success of these institutions. Accordingly, the Council on Higher Education (2024:126) emphasised the importance and need for research to examine the ‘lingering student dropout crisis’ in South Africa.
Studies have revealed that the majority of students who drop out of university in South Africa are first-generation black students (FGBS) (Business Tech 2019; Council on Higher Education 2016; Scott et al. 2007; Siyengo 2015; Vincent & Hlatswayo 2018). This implies that while advancements in relation to increasing the participation rates of black students in higher education have been made, there has also been an increase in the number of black students, especially first-generation students (FGS), who drop out of the system. First-generation students are students whose parents do not have a tertiary qualification (Council on Higher Education 2024; Jones et al. 2008) and thus, represent the first generation to attend university in the family. In this study, FGBS refer to black African students who represent the first generation in their families to attend university. Scholars have contended that generally, students find the transition to university difficult. This transition is far more difficult for FGS (Lippincott & German 2007; Motsabi, Diale & Van Zyl 2020; Stebleton & Soria 2013) because of the multiple barriers they encounter during their transition to university (Jehangir 2010; Meyer & Birgit 2024). First-generation students, for example, have reported experiencing academic and social challenges as they are unfamiliar with institutional norms and lack personal networks to ask for guidance (Pascarella et al. 2004). In addition, FGS tend to be underprepared for university because they are inclined to come from low socioeconomic backgrounds and may have received poor schooling (Jenkins, Miyazaki & Janosik 2009; Van Broekhuizen, Van der Berg & Hofmeyer 2016).
First-generation students are also prone to struggle with navigating university because they do not have parents who understand the dynamics of university. Furthermore, their family relationships may be strained because of the lack of support from their families as well as the latter’s inability to understand their university experiences (Dewall 2005; Jenkins et al. 2013). Redford and Hoyer (2017) highlighted that FGS mostly come from non-English-speaking families, which may lead to communication barriers and undermine not only their interaction in the academic environment but also their academic success (i.e. achieving educational goals) in academic contexts where English is the primary language of teaching and learning. Institutions that do not advocate for transformation in language policies may exacerbate FGS’ language barriers, which, in turn, may exclude them from key institutional dialogues and, therefore, undermine their sense of belonging to the universities at which they are studying. These experiences may be overwhelming and compel FGS to drop out of their studies. First-generation students, and particularly FGBS, are likely to experience a multitude of challenges at university, which may lead to high dropout rates among them (Motsabi et al. 2020). Consequently, providing social support to FGBS may be imperative for their academic success.
Providing students with support may enable them to develop strong perceptions of social support, which may, in turn, be critical for their academic motivation and persistence. Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate the influence of perceptions of social support and academic motivation on the academic persistence of FGBS. In this study, academic persistence is conceptualised as students’ ability to continue working on assigned tasks despite the difficulties encountered (Moreno-Marcos et al. 2019). In other words, it encompasses the resilience and ability to persevere, thus enabling students to remain enrolled towards the completion of their qualifications.
Significance of the study
The South African higher education system is characterised by a tumultuous past and continuous upheavals. Black students, most of whom are the first generation in their family to attend higher education institutions, continue to be subjected to marginalisation because of structural factors linked to apartheid’s legacy of segregation (Gore & Walker 2020), including unaffordable tuition fees, academic exclusion resulting from funding challenges, student debt, inadequate student housing, racial identity problems and exclusionary institutional cultures (Bazana & Mogotsi 2017; Chiramba & Ndofirepi 2023; Mudau 2017). These are arguably among the key issues that contributed to the Fees Must Fall and Rhodes Must Fall student revolts and instability in the South African institutions of higher learning. The Council on Higher Education (2024) noted that FGS’ issues in South Africa are composite and intersect between race and social class. Research conducted in South Africa has also revealed that FGBS continue to experience systemic marginalisation issues and a lack of support during their studies (Meyer & Schreiber 2024; Mkhize 2024). Mkhize (2024:229) argued that FGBS ‘do not have the adequate support for when things get difficult as they progress in their academic years’ and tend to doubt their motivational abilities (Nkansah & Ikbal 2024). A lack of support and motivation can be detrimental, undermine students’ educational outcomes and thwart their chances of attaining qualifications. This study is important when considering the historical and sociopolitical factors in South Africa as it not only highlights the plight of FGBS but advances the transformation agenda in higher education and contributes critical value to the discourse on student development to encourage institutions of higher learning to invest in material and psychological support for historically disadvantaged students. Student support efforts are vital for revitalising student motivation and fostering full personal development (Council on Higher Education 2020).
Perceptions of social support and academic persistence among university students
Perceived social support may be conceptualised as students’ subjective understanding of emotional support (Yang & Wang 2019). It encompasses the resources provided through social interaction, which results in perceptions that one is valued and supported by others (Sarason, Sarason & Pierce 1990). Perceptions of social support can be acquired from the support one receives from friends, family and significant others such as lecturers, mentors, advisors and administrative staff (Zimet et al. 1998). These perceptions are associated with positive educational outcomes. Perceived support has been reported to act as a protective factor against adverse mental health outcomes and maladjustment (Malecki & Demaray 2002). Scholars have also argued that perceived social support moderates feelings of threat and equips students with the confidence to navigate new academic challenges (Alemán-Ruíz & Calvo-Francés 2017; Xerri, Radford & Shacklock 2018). Strom and Savage (2014) found that perceived social support had a positive impact on the commitment to the goal of education and intention to persist. Similarly, scholars have revealed that perceived social support is a strong predictor of academic-related persistence (Gloria et al. 2005). According to Baldwin, Chambliss and Towler (2003), students who perceive social support from others are less likely to experience psychological distress in the institutional environment and tend to persist academically. Perceived social support predicts students’ perceptions of control and identification with the institution, fosters academic engagement and reduces the likelihood of dropout (Fall & Roberts 2012). On the contrary, a lack of perceived social support contributes to psychological problems among university students (Safree, Yasin & Dzulkifli 2010). In addition, low levels of perceived social support are related to low levels of academic persistence (Mallinckrodt & Leong 1992). Evidence has also demonstrated that low levels of perceived social support are linked to stress, low levels of self-worth, minimal academic engagement, academic failure and dropout (Baker 1999; Chao 2021; Hamre & Pianta 2005; Malecki & Elliott 1999), suggesting that low levels of perceived social support may lead to academic failure. Hence, the current study sought to investigate whether perceptions of social support could significantly predict academic persistence among FGBS (Hypothesis 1). It was envisaged that an understanding of how perceptions of social support influence academic persistence may result in the establishment of effective intervention strategies to enhance support for FGBS to enable them to succeed in their studies.
Perceptions of social support are not only important for academic persistence but also for university students’ academic motivation. Emadpoor, Lavasani and Shahcheraghi (2016) found that perceived social support directly and significantly influenced academic motivation. Similarly, Wentzel et al. (2010) argued that supportive environments have a positive impact on academic motivation. Jiang, Bong and Kim (2015) as well as Leim and Martin (2011) highlighted that environments that students perceive as supportive tend to contribute to motivation and, in turn, academic motivation may lead to academic persistence (Niemiec & Ryan 2009). Because of the suspected association between perceptions of social support, academic motivation and persistence, the current study sought to investigate the mediating role of academic motivation in the relationship between perceptions of support and academic persistence (Hypothesis 2).
Academic motivation and academic persistence among university students
While motivation is conceptualised as an individual’s willingness to exert effort in pursuit of a goal (American Psychological Association 2018), academic motivation refers to students’ desire to engage with learning (Koyuncuoğlu 2021) and demonstrate scholastic competence. Academic motivation is related to students’ energy and drive to learn, work effectively and achieve their potential (Martin 2004). Moreover, it is one of the factors that enable students to attain their academic milestones. Vanthornout et al. (2012) argued that academic motivation is associated with students’ academic persistence. In addition, Skinner et al. (2008) noted that academic motivation is important for determining whether students persist or drop out of learning institutions because motivated students tend to be more organised, focussed on their academic work and are thus likely to persist (Niemiec & Ryan 2009). While academic motivation is important for academic persistence, a lack thereof can lead to feelings of dissatisfaction and frustration and accordingly, minimise the chances of academic success (Köseoglu 2013; Vallerand et al. 1992), thus implying that academic motivation is important for ensuring academic persistence. Hence, the influence of academic motivation on academic persistence (Hypothesis 1) was also investigated in the current study.
Because of the potential influence of academic motivation and perception of social support on academic persistence, the current study sought to answer the following research questions:
- Do perceived social support and academic motivation significantly predict academic persistence?
- Does academic motivation significantly mediate the association between perceived social support and academic persistence?
Perceived social support was assessed using three dimensions, namely, perceived support from friends, family and significant others who have played a significant role in supporting FGBS during their studies (Motsabi et al. 2020). In Figure 1, the hypothesised relationship between perceived social support and academic persistence, with academic motivation as a mediator, is depicted.
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FIGURE 1: Hypothesised relationship in which academic motivation acts as a mediator between perceived social support and academic persistence. |
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Research methods and design
Participants and recruitment procedure
The study was conducted with a convenient sample of FGBS at a comprehensive university in South Africa in the 2021 academic year. Most of the students who were enrolled at this university were black and female students. A cross-sectional quantitative approach was employed as the method of inquiry. The Qualtrics survey-maker tool was used to prepare a survey questionnaire. A total of 1031 students opened the survey, which the institution’s information and communications technology (ICT) department had emailed to them. Ineligible participants, namely, non-FGBS and participants below 18 years of age, and incomplete responses were removed from the final analysis. The sample comprised 207 eligible participants who completed the questionnaire. Of the participants, n = 62 (30%) were male and n = 145 (70%) were female. In addition, while n = 136 (65.7%) indicated that they were from low socioeconomic status families, n = 68 (32.9%) were from middle socioeconomic status families and n = 3 (1.4%) were from families with a high socioeconomic status. The participants had an average age of 28.82 years which ranged between 19 and 40 years (standard deviation [SD] = 5.15).
Instruments
- Perception of social support: The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) (Zimet et al. 1998) was utilised to assess perceptions of social support from family, friends and significant others. The scale comprises 12 statements such as ‘I have a special person who is a real source of comfort to me’. The items are scored on a five-point Likert scale, ranging between 1 (strongly disagree) and 5 (strongly agree). The scale was found to have a reliability coefficient of α = 0.92. Furthermore, the scale consists of three sub-scales, each consisting of four items. The reliability coefficient of the perceived friendship social support sub-scale was α = 0.90, that of the perceived family support sub-scale was α = 0.89 and that of the sub-scale regarding perceived social support from significant others was α = 0.87. The MSPSS was found to be reliable and valid across groups over time (Wongpakaran, Wongpakaran & Ruktrakul 2011).
- Academic motivation: The Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) was used to measure academic motivation (Vallerand et al. 1992). It includes seven items, such as ‘I attend university because it allows me to experience personal satisfaction’, that are assessed on a five-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The AMS was found to have a reliability coefficient of α = 0.82 and good construct validity (Utvær & Haugan 2016).
- Academic persistence: The Institutional and Goal Commitment Scale was employed to measure academic persistence (Pascarella &Terenzini 1980). Specifically, the scale is used to assess students’ commitment to the institution and goals associated with graduation and consists of items such as ‘It is not important for me to graduate’, which are rated on a five-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The three-item scale was found to have a reliability coefficient of α = 0.60. Scholars have argued that while a reliability coefficient of at least 0.60 is low, it can still be considered an acceptable minimum (Hulin, Netemeyer & Cudeck 2001; Janssens et al. 2008). Accordingly, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed to assess the validity of the academic persistence scale (Table 1).
| TABLE 1: Exploratory factor analysis of the academic persistence scale. |
Data analysis
Data were analysed using IBM SPSS 28 and Hayes’s (2013) PROCESS macro. The analyses included EFA, a multiple linear regression analysis and a mediation analysis. While EFA was conducted to assess the theoretical properties of the academic persistence scale, a multiple linear regression analysis was performed to test whether perceived social support and academic motivation could predict academic persistence. In addition, a mediation analysis was conducted to test whether academic motivation could mediate the association between perceived social support and academic persistence. The role of gender was controlled in the regression models, given its influence on academic persistence (Meyer & Strauß 2019). Furthermore, K-1 dummy codes were created before gender could be entered into the regression models.
Ethical considerations
The study received ethical approval from the University of South Africa’s college of Human Sciences Ethics Review Committee (Reference no: 51416387_CREC_2021). Consent was obtained from the participants electronically. They were assured of voluntary participation, confidentiality and anonymity.
Results
Exploratory factor analysis: Academic persistence
Exploratory factor analysis was carried out utilising the principal component method. One factor was extracted based on the eigenvalue greater than one criterion, thus proving that the items are latent measures of academic persistence. The items accounted for 58% of the variance. The factor loadings after direct oblimin rotation are displayed in Table 1.
Descriptive statistics
The scales used in the study had values with a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 5. The results revealed means of 1.30 (SD = 0.26) for perceived friendship support, 1.10 (SD = 0.26) for perceived family support, 1.11 (SD = 0.26) for perceived support from others, 1.00 (SD = 0.08) for academic motivation and 2.00 (SD = 0.22) for academic persistence (Table 2).
| TABLE 2: Descriptive statistics of predictor and outcome variables (N = 207). |
Regression analysis
The assumptions of linear regression were determined before the analysis was conducted. The q-q plots showed little variation from normal and were distributed along the regression line. In addition, the Durbin–Watson value was 1.959, falling between 1.5 and 2.5, which is considered acceptable. A multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to determine whether perceived social support and academic motivation could predict academic persistence. Therefore, academic persistence was regressed onto perceived friendship support, perceived family support, perceived support from significant others and academic motivation. Gender was controlled to rule out alternative explanations. The results revealed a statistically significant model, F (4202) = 9.065, p < 0.001, which explained 13.5% of the variance in academic persistence. The model also demonstrated that perceived friendship support (B = −0.178, t = −2.565, and p < 0.001) and academic motivation (B = 0.858, t = 5.116, and p < 0.001) were the only statistically significant predictors of academic persistence (Table 3).
| TABLE 3: Regression analysis of the effects of perceived social support and academic motivation on academic persistence. |
Mediation analysis
The second objective of the study was to test whether academic motivation could mediate the relationship between perceived social support and academic persistence. The mediation analysis was conducted in accordance with the three mediational assumptions (Baron & Kenny 1986). In addition, the mediation analysis was tested across three models using PROCESS macro (model 4) with 5000 bootstrap samples. The influence of gender was controlled across the models.
The first model tested the mediational effect of academic motivation on the relationship between perceived friendship support and academic persistence. Perceived friendship support was considered a predicting variable, academic motivation a mediating variable and academic persistence a dependent variable. The results revealed that while perceived friendship support significantly predicted academic motivation (B = 0.07, SE = 0.02, 95% CI [0.03, 0.12], p < 0.05) and academic motivation significantly predicted academic persistence (B = 0.88, SE = 0.16, 95% CI [0.55, 1.22], p < 0.05), the direct effect of perceived friendship support on academic persistence was found to be statistically insignificant (B = −0.06, SE = 0.05, 95% CI [−0.17, 0.04], p > 0.05). In addition, the results showed that the indirect coefficient was statistically significant (B = 0.06, SE = 0.02, 95% CI [0.02, 0.11]). The results indicate that academic motivation fully mediated the relationship between perceived friendship support and academic persistence. The mediation hypothesis was, therefore, supported (Table 4, model 1).
| TABLE 4: Mediation analysis results of the effects of perceived social support and academic motivation on academic persistence. |
The second model tested the mediational effect of academic motivation on the relationship between perceived family support and academic persistence. Perceived family support was considered a predicting variable, academic motivation a mediating variable and academic persistence a dependent variable. The results revealed that perceived family support significantly predicted academic motivation (B = 0.04, SE = 0.02, 95% CI [0.01, 0.08], p < 0.05) and academic motivation, in turn, had a statistically significant influence on academic persistence (B = 0.81, SE = 0.16, 95% CI [0.48, 0.1.14], p < 0.05). The direct effect of perceived family support on academic persistence was found to be statistically insignificant (B = 0.05, SE = 0.05, 95% CI [−0.04, 0.16], p > 0.05). The results also showed that the indirect coefficient was statistically insignificant (B = 0.03, SE = 0.02, 95% CI [−0.01, 0.08]), suggesting that the indirect influence of perceived family support on academic persistence via academic motivation was not strong or meaningful enough to confirm mediation. Therefore, the mediation hypothesis could not be supported (Table 4, model 2).
The third model tested whether academic motivation could mediate the relationship between perceived support from others (i.e. significant others) and academic persistence. The perceived support from others was considered a predicting variable, academic motivation a mediating variable and academic persistence a dependent variable. The results revealed that the perceived support from others significantly predicted academic motivation (B = 0.06, SE = 0.02, 95% CI [0.01, 0.11], p < 0.05). As a consequence, academic motivation significantly predicted academic persistence (B = 0.79, SE = 0.16, 95% CI [0.46, 1.12], p < 0.05). The direct effect of perceived social support on academic persistence was found to be statistically insignificant (B = 0.09, SE = 0.05, 95% CI [−0.02, 0.20], p > 0.05). The results also showed that the indirect coefficient was statistically significant (B = 0.05, SE = 0.02, 95% CI [0.01, 0.10]). The mediation hypothesis was, therefore, supported (Table 4, model 3).
Discussion
The aim of the study was to investigate the role of perceptions of social support and academic motivation on academic persistence among FGBS. The results revealed that perceived friendship support and academic motivation significantly predicted academic persistence. These findings complement the results of previous studies (Liao, Edlin & Ferdenzi 2014; Strom & Savage 2014; Vanthornout et al. 2012), suggesting that FGBS rely on friendship support and need to be academically motivated to succeed in their studies. Research has shown that students are likely to remain committed to their studies if they have worthwhile friendships (Pittman & Richmond 2008). Equally important, motivation enables students to master the demands of tertiary education and successfully complete their studies (Fedorková & Nekvapilová 2019). Mkhize (2024) found that motivation was critical for FGBS in South Africa to complete their studies. The results indicate that university transitional priorities for FGBS could primarily include establishing and maintaining supportive friendships that are essential for reinforcing motivation and persistence, thus implying that it is imperative for universities to create environments that enable and foster peer interaction, engagement and inclusivity.
The results of this study revealed that perceived family support and support from significant others could not predict academic persistence. These results are plausible because students tend to experience a shift in relationships as they transition to university because they are likely to spend less time with their family and more time with peers and invest in untried relationships with new friends. Research has shown that FGS are not inclined to receive the required emotional and informational support from their families during their studies (Sy et al. 2011). In addition, FGS tend to spend less time with significant others such as lecturers or other members of staff (Terenzini et al. 1996) and are accordingly less likely to develop perceptions of family support and enjoy support from significant others.
The results revealed that academic motivation significantly mediated the relationship between perceived friendship support and academic persistence. Consequently, for FGBS, an increase in perceived support from friends contributed to an increase in academic motivation, which, in turn, contributed to an increase in academic persistence or persistence desires. Dechant (2011) also found that friendship support was predictive of academic motivation. In addition, Motsabi et al. (2020) demonstrated that relying on friendship for support played an important role in FGBS’ academic persistence. The findings of this study suggest that universities should continuously remind FGBS of the importance of establishing relations with peers as well as joining and actively participating in student organisations to discover motivation and cultivate academic persistence. Additionally, it is important that universities encourage FGBS to join student ethnic groups to help them find a niche to which they can belong and receive peer support.
The findings of this study also revealed that academic motivation significantly mediated the association between perceived support from significant others and academic persistence. Accordingly, increased perceptions of support from others led to enhanced academic motivation, which, in turn, increased academic persistence desires. Previous studies have also shown that perceived social support from others such as advisors and teaching and non-teaching staff contributes to academic motivation and persistence among FGS (Irlbeck et al. 2014; Motsabi et al. 2020), thus signifying the essential role played by significant others in institutional communities. The findings suggest that the interaction that FGBS may have had with significant others in their institutional community could have been motivational and critical in stimulating their desire to persist academically. The results, therefore, imply that members of staff should expend their efforts towards supporting FGBS through informal engagements, dedicated student support orientation and counselling services for academically disadvantaged students. Among other things, these services could focus on identity issues to help FGBS acclimatise to the institutional culture.
The study also tested the mediational effect of academic motivation on the relationship between perceived family support and academic persistence. The results revealed that academic motivation could not significantly mediate the relationship between perceived family support and academic persistence. These results are plausible because peer support tends to take precedence when FGBS transition to university (Motsabi et al. 2020). These findings, therefore, affirm the notion that FGS are likely to receive minimal family support because their families and/or parents do not understand university dynamics and have little appreciation for and attach little value to tertiary education. Therefore, the findings of this study highlight the need for higher education institutions to strengthen models of student support by, for example, including dedicated support programmes and extracurricular activities to increase networking opportunities for FGBS to bridge the gap of a lack of family support.
Implications for policy and practice
First-generation black students enrol at institutions of higher learning with systemic disadvantages and marginalised identities because of their background and racial characteristics. Hence, the results imply the need for institutions of higher learning to develop student inclusivity policies that will advance disadvantaged students’ needs and make them feel that they matter to the institutional community and are supported within their learning contexts. The results encourage institutions of higher learning to support FGBS robustly by initiating, for example, inclusive language and funding policies as well as cultural and identity recognition policies so that students can feel supported and motivated to succeed academically. A relevant example is the language policy framework for public higher education institutions in South Africa which seeks to foster inclusivity, social cohesion and promote study success among students for whom English is not their first language (Department of Higher Education and Training 2020). While some progress has been made with the development of transformational policies in higher education in South Africa, it is imperative that the implementation of these policies is mandatory and their effectiveness is evaluated periodically.
First-generation black students are often underprepared for university. Therefore, it is important that institutions of higher learning consider implementing structured academic mentorship programmes for them. The Council on Higher Education (2024) recommended structured support programmes as mechanisms to introduce a supportive environment for FGS. These programmes, such as mentorship, could be useful in assessing learning gaps and equipping students with skills, such as language proficiency skills, needed to succeed in their studies. Everett (2023) revealed that FGS mentorship programmes yielded academic benefits and success among students. Yomtov et al. (2017) stressed the importance of mentorship by arguing that mentoring helps students feel more integrated and supported in an academic institution and reinforces persistence towards graduating. First-generation black students experience considerable psychological and social challenges at higher education institutions in comparison to other students as a result of racial marginalisation (Schuyler et al. 2021). Therefore, mentorship and institutional support programmes should also focus on integrating students in accordance with their generation status as well as their racial attributes. Research has shown that racial integration or racial identity affirmations may protect individuals against feelings of exclusion (Stock et al. 2018). Therefore, promoting racial integration could result in enhanced psychological and social well-being among FGBS. While mentorship programmes have been shown to be critical for students’ learning, universities need to inculcate robust monitoring and evaluation of the programmes to identify areas for improvement and enhance their effectiveness where necessary (Masehela & Mabika 2017).
First-generation black students have been reported to lack the knowledge capital required to navigate the university experience. This study highlights the need for institutions of higher learning to have dedicated student support offices for FGBS. It is advised that these offices offer multiple forms of support, including counselling, training in networking and support-seeking skills, and effective study management plans, which could help cultivate student motivation and persistence.
The findings of the study also suggest the need for institutions of higher learning to establish institutionally recognised student organisations. These organisations may serve as student support structures in which students can share their academic experiences and garner peer support. Motsabi et al. (2020) noted that these forms of support are essential for students because it is from them that they draw their strength to persevere. Considering the importance of student organisations, institutions of higher learning should not only recognise them formally but also fund them to ensure that they achieve their objectives. Such initiatives could have an important influence on shaping institutional culture, redressing historical injustices and helping FGBS to identify with and be fully integrated into the institutional community.
The results also encourage universities to employ a social justice approach, characterised by equitable forms of support, to help FGBS thrive in their studies. This can be realised by ensuring that students, student representatives and members of the epistemic community, including university executives, work collaboratively to integrate underprivileged students into the institution by providing resources and responding to their collective needs, which have been imposed on them by their race and social class (Kele & Mzileni 2021). Because students’ support is integral to higher education, efforts of support may enable them to feel that they are being cared for by their institution and accordingly bolster their motivation (Council on Higher Education 2020).
Limitations of the study and future recommendations
The study contributes to the existing literature by focussing attention on the influence of social support and academic motivation on academic persistence among disadvantaged students, namely, FGBS. However, cognisance should be taken of some of the limitations of the study. Firstly, the study was conducted at a single university in South Africa. It is recommended that future studies should replicate the study at multiple institutions to increase the generalisability of the results. Secondly, the study employed a cross-sectional design. Accordingly, it is recommended that future studies replicate the study by employing a longitudinal research design to understand the patterns of academic persistence among FGBS over longer periods. Finally, self-report instruments, which are susceptible to a self-report bias, were utilised to collect data. It is recommended that future studies replicate the study, but employ alternative data collection strategies.
Conclusion
Social support and academic motivation are imperative for students’ academic success. Therefore, institutions of higher learning should consider adopting multiple modalities for supporting students to ensure that they can complete their studies. The levels of support accorded to students should be guided by policy and relevant implementation strategies. As FGBS are regarded as at-risk students, tertiary institutions should undertake initiatives that focus on identifying their unique needs to be able to provide appropriate forms of support. This could help reduce the dropout rate of FGBS.
Acknowledgements
This article is partially based on the author’s thesis entitled ‘The effect of psychosocial factors on the academic persistence of undergraduate university students’ towards the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology in the Department of Psychology, University of South Africa, South Africa on 30 March 2022, with supervisor Prof. Fortunate Silinda. It is available here: https://hdl.handle.net/10500/30369
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article.
Authors’ contributions
B.V.M. contributed to the conceptualisation, survey design, data collection, analysis and writing of this article. F.T.S. contributed to the conceptualisation and editing of this article.
Funding information
This study was supported by the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (Grant no: SDS20/1569).
Data availability
Data presented in this article are available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author, B.V.M.
Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and are the product of professional research. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any affiliated institution, funder, agency or that of the publisher. The authors are responsible for this article’s results, findings and content.
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