The role of friendship maintenance over communication technologies in freshmen's social adjustment to college.

Abstract

Objective: Studies show that friendships help undergraduates navigate the transition to college, but it is unclear how technology use impacts the maintenance of friendships and students' subsequent adjustment. This study fills this gap by examining how maintenance over communication technologies with pre-college and in-college friends is associated with freshmen's social adjustment to college, via two psychological processes: social support and belongingness. Participants and Methods: 194 college freshmen completed online surveys. Results: Path analyses show that maintaining friendships with pre-college friends over communication technologies was positively associated with freshmen's perceptions of social support but negatively associated with their social adjustment. Using communication technologies to maintain friendships with college peers was associated with higher perceived belongingness, and, in turn, better social adjustment. Conclusions: Communication technologies may assist or hinder freshmen's social adjustment to college. University staff may find ways to use technology to improve programs aimed at combatting loneliness and enhancing friend-making at college.