Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Date

2026

Publication Title

A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy

Publisher

Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA

City

Lynchburg, VA

Keywords

acculturation, first-generation college students, health behaviors, wellness

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative narrative ethnographic study was to understand how acculturation affects health behaviors and wellness of first-generation college students at a state university on the West Coast of the United States. The theory guiding this study was social constructivism theory, proposed by Lev Vygotsky, who claimed behaviors are constructed by social interactions around social settings. This research focused on how students navigated the changes in inherited cultural values of health behaviors and wellness practices affected by mainstream and college cultures. The dissertation investigated challenges first-generation college students faced in an environment that often conflicted with family values and traditions. Data analysis strategies included interviews, focus group discussions, and in-depth observations, and utilized ATLAS.ti to synthesize the data. A pilot study was conducted with the first two subjects who signed up to participate to clarify the layout of questions and discussions. After the first two subjects, the sample size of the qualitative narrative ethnographic study was 17 participants during Spring and Summer of 2025. The research further explored how students understood support in maintaining positive health behaviors and wellness. The historical and social context, included the stigma around mental health and cultural stressors that first-generation college students experience. Findings considered the influence that acculturation had on the college experience of students. By stressing the role of acculturation in shaping first-generation college students’ health outcomes, this dissertation provided insights into how students can create more supportive and holistic environments, potentially improving overall health behaviors and wellness within college culture.

Rights

©2026 by Angel Camacho Castro

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