Holistic Wellness and Its Impact on First-Semester Grades
Author(s): Cereola, S. J., Snyder, C. S., Cereola, R. J., & Horton, B. W.
Citation: Cereola, S. J., Snyder, C. S., Cereola, R. J., & Horton, B. W. (2014). Holistic Wellness and Its Impact on First-Semester Grades. Journal of The First-Year Experience & Students in Transition, 26(2), 89-106.
Abstract
Students enrolled in a first-semester, critical-thinking course assessed their perception of their own wellness using a 52-question survey. Within the survey, holistic wellness was measured along seven dimensions: (a) physical, (b) intellectual, (c) social, (d) occupational, (e) spiritual, (f) emotional, and (g) environmental. Individual perceptions of physical and occupational wellness were significantly and positively related to final course grade. While the physical and occupational wellness dimensions proved to be the most significant associations, each of the dimensions were shown to be correlated with academic success and need to be addressed in a first-year experience. Helping students understand and embrace these dimensions during the formative college years has been demonstrated to be instrumental in developing lifelong habits supporting wellness.
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