Campus Location
Abilene Campus (Residential)
Date of Award
5-2021
Document Type
Thesis
Department
Social Work
Degree Name
Master of Science
Committee Chair or Primary Advisor
Malcolm Scott
Second Committee Member or Secondary Advisor
Stephanie Hamm
Third Committee Member or Committee Reader
Bre Heinrich
Abstract
The concept known as “social isolation” is a problem that affects many people, but there are certain populations that do not have adequate research performed on them. Specifically, college students face a risk of social isolation that is detrimental to their well-being and academic success, and there is a gap in the literature about this relationship. This study explored the prevalence of social isolation in college students at a Christian college in West Texas and examined various factors to determine whether any protective factors or at-risk factors existed. An online survey was sent out that used 11 demographic factor questions and a 6-instrument scale called the Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-6). The survey had 214 participants. The study also tested the LSNS-6 and its validity to be used with college students. The findings indicated that social isolation prevalence in college students is 8.4% and that there are three protective factors and at- risk factors that influence the risk for social isolation. The study also found the LSNS-6 to be valid when used with college students. The protective factors are being White, Christian, and heterosexual, and the at-risk factors are being female, being a freshman, and having a GPA of 2.6 or lower. This study provides more understanding into how social isolation operates and helps to facilitate future research to examine social isolation and college students.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Elliott, David Bryan, "Exploring the Prevalence of Social Isolation in Students at a Christian College in West Texas" (2021). Digital Commons @ ACU, Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 345.
https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/etd/345