Most extracted associations are small: 219 of nearly 500 coefficients fall below a medium effect size, with conscientiousness–academic adjustment (.64) the largest¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · quant-synthesis r2 · q2 · i3 large
Currency · newest study 2025 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Of the extracted associations, 219 failed to reach a medium effect size (.30) and only 32 exceeded a large effect size (.50). → Ball 2025 q2 i3 The largest coefficient was conscientiousness with academic adjustment at .64, followed by narrow disengagement coping as a risk factor for academic adjustment (-.62) and social wellbeing as a protective factor for psychological wellbeing in a male-only sample (.62). → Ball 2025 (2)

Evidence¶

Ball 2025¶

Ball, I., Banerjee, M., Holliman, A., & Tyndall, I. (2025). Investigating Success in the Transition to University: A Systematic Review of Personal Risk and Protective Factors Influencing Psychosocial Success. https://osf.io/vxu5q?view_only=ee23e20f57c54891b842c92b7a4858de

q2 · i? · quant-synthesis · r2

In the Discussion, the review reports that despite extracting nearly 500 coefficients across the 32 studies, most associations were small; the counts of 219 below .30 and 32 above .50 are as printed.

"219 of the extracted associations failed to reach the threshold for a medium effect size (.30) and only 32 breach the threshold for a large effect size (.50, Cohen, 1988)"

Ball 2025 (2)¶

Ball, I., Banerjee, M., Holliman, A., & Tyndall, I. (2025). Investigating Success in the Transition to University: A Systematic Review of Personal Risk and Protective Factors Influencing Psychosocial Success. https://osf.io/vxu5q?view_only=ee23e20f57c54891b842c92b7a4858de

q2 · i3 · review · r2

The review reports the largest coefficients: conscientiousness–academic adjustment r = .64 (Perera et al., 2015), narrow disengagement coping -.62, and social wellbeing .62 in a male-only sample, replicated twice at .52 (average .55). Kurtz et al. (2012) found .35 with different scales.

"The largest of these coefficients was the association between conscientiousness and academic adjustment at .64 (Perera et al., 2015)"

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Personality Traits — predictor: learners who differ on it differ in outcomes

Related Claims¶

• A systematic review of 32 longitudinal studies identified 96 personal risk and protective factors for psychosocial transition success, consolidated into 16 salient elements across five higher-order domains — a broader claim this one bears on
• Adjustment variables show the largest coefficients of any factor domain but are typically measured after arrival, limiting their use for designing pre-transition interventions — related
• Of the Big Five personality traits, only conscientiousness (r = .22) and openness (r = .13) correlate appreciably with mathematics achievement — related
• Teacher extraversion, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness are each positively associated with teacher effectiveness, while agreeableness is not a significant correlate — related
• Social support in all forms is a key protective factor for psychosocial success in the transition to university — related