The Relationships Between Peer Attachment, Self-esteem and Adjustment to College Life in Female College Students

여대생의 또래애착과 자아존중감 및 대학생활 적응과의 관계

Purpose: To consider how college students' adjustment to college life is related to peer attachment and self-esteem. Method: The subjects were 183 female college students attending one university. The study data were collected with the inventory of peer attachment-revised version, the self-esteem inventory, and the inventory for adjustment to college life. The data were analyzed by t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression. Results: There were significant differences in self-esteem according to residence type. There were significant differences in the adjustment to college life according to monthly income. There was a significantly positive correlation between peer attachment and adjustment to college life. There were significantly positive correlations between self-esteem and adjustment to college life and all of the subscales of adjustment to college life. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that 28.6% of the adjustment to college life was significantly explained by self-esteem and monthly income. Conclusion: Based on these findings, peer attachment is a very important factor influencing self-esteem which is itself a very important factor influencing adjustment to college life in female college students. Therefore, an alternative program designed to increase the self-esteem and peer attachment of female college students should be a planned program based on the study results.