Perceived Sources and Types of Social Support and Academic Success

Incorporating gender diversity into a collaborative practice environment among healthcare professionals and patients is necessary to provide quality care for the complex healthcare population that we serve (Chan et al., 2009). Nursing, social work, and occupational therapy have been known to be predominantly female occupations. There are many benefits of including males in these occupations to produce a more diverse workforce supporting positive patient care outcomes and delivery services. There are, however, education, and social barriers to male students within these health science programs (Bartlfay & Bartlfay, 2007). In addition, there is a higher attrition rate among male students within nursing, social work, and occupational therapy (Mulhollad, Anionwu, Atkins, Tappern, & Franks, 2008; Schaub, 2015; Watson, 2013). Evidence has shown that social support is an effective mechanism for managing the effects of stress, promoting positive self-esteem, and enhancing psychological stability and academic success (Lou et al., 2010). What is not clear from the current literature is how perceptions of social support are related to academic success among male students in female-dominated healthcare professions. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of perceived social support of family, peers, faculty, and role model/mentors, and academic success among male nursing, social work, and occupational therapy students. The guiding framework for this study was Tinto’s (1998) theory of student departure and Allport’s (1954) contact theory. Both theories suggest that, among all other factors, if college students establish supportive connections in college that include peers, family, and faculty members, they are more likely to continue within their program and succeed academically. This study examined the perceptions of social support, including support from family, peers, role model/mentors, and faculty, among male nursing, social work, and occupational therapy students using a descriptive quantitative research study. A cross-sectional survey design was used with inferential statistics and a correlational approach to determine the relationship between the perceptions of support and academic success. The target population for this study was chosen through a convenience and snowball sampling that included 127 male students at the entry level of nursing, occupational therapy, and social work programs from two four-year degree universities in the Midwest region and social media sites such as Facebook. The study survey consisted of two sections with the first section intended to gather demographic information. The second section is the proposed tool for this study, a modified version of the Student Social Support Scale (SSSS Nolten, 1994). Data analysis used was the chi-square to compare demographic data, Spearman’s Rho correlation for the perceptions of social support and academic success, ANOVA analyzed the differences of levels and importance of social support, and T-test was used to analyze the differences in demographic characteristics and the levels and importance of social support. The results found that there was a significant positive correlation between family support and GPA among the three academic programs. Correlations between peer, faculty, and role model/mentor support were not significant. The importance of family, peer, faculty, and role model/mentor social support were also examined between groups. Differences were noted between the academic programs and importance of family support. Male nursing and social work students identified the importance of family support higher than male occupational therapy students. These results were mixed related to previous studies (Leal & Santos, 2014; Lou et al., 2010; Parker & Crabtree, 2014). In addition, although not statistically significant, the males in all three academic programs identified faculty support as very important. These results were not consistent to previous studies (Dyke, et al., 2009; Furness, 2012; Schaub, 2015). The importance of peer, overall role model/mentor, and same gender role model/mentor support were not statistically significant. These results were mixed related to previous studies (de la Iglesia, et al., 2014; Pease, 2011). Among demographic differences, non-married male students found peer support as a significant source of support, non-first-generation students identified family as a source of support, and White students identified the importance of peer support. Limited data was found related to demographic differences and social support. These results indicate that perceived social support can have positive outcomes for male students within these female-dominated healthcare professions. In addition, breaking down the negative stereotype that society has of males within these female-dominated professions can also serve as a gateway for more males entering the profession and provide more opportunities for male role models and mentors. Through continued research of the perceptions of social support and academic success among male nursing, social work, and occupational therapy students, faculty, staff, and administration will obtain data on the perceptions of social support that will foster and encourage male students’ success within these programs as well as promote positive interprofessional educational interaction across disciplines and successful interprofessional practice.