Autonomy and agentic engagement among first-generation college students : exploring resources for psychological need satisfaction

Previous research has demonstrated that higher education creates distinct challenges to first-generation students’ well-being and motivation in university. Amid growing interest in psychological interventions to support first-generation students’ well-being in college, this study used the self-determination theory of basic needs as a framework to examine these students’ resources and strategies. Previous research within this framework has emphasized teaching practices to boost student engagement through support for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. However, much remains to be explored regarding students’ active role in need fulfillment and agentic efforts to reshape their learning environments. Beliefs and strategies regarding self-determination have also been linked to orientations toward autonomy satisfaction as asserted (self-reliant) or assisted (reliant on supportive environments and relationships). This study sought to extend our understanding of how inner and environmental resources intertwine in first generation students’ active pursuit of psychological well-being. First-generation students (n=212) were surveyed regarding their beliefs, perceived resources for psychological need satisfaction in college, and agentic engagement. This mixed-method study integrated findings from correlation and regression analyses, used to examine associations between student beliefs, perceived need support, and agentic engagement, with findings from the analysis of qualitative responses regarding students’ salient experiences of need satisfaction or frustration in college. Results demonstrate that first-generation students’ interdependent motives for college may coincide with either asserted or assisted orientations toward experiencing autonomy, but only an assisted orientation was linked to significantly greater overall satisfaction in college. However, alongside supportive teacher practices, the orientation toward asserted autonomy predicted increased agentic engagement in college classes. Participant narratives highlighted how environments and relationships in college life also were connected with first-generation students’ proactive efforts to fulfill their psychological needs. This research develops an understanding of how the college environment, instructors, and learners’ own agentic efforts help nurture first-generation students’ inner motivational resources.