+Family Achievement Guilt

Covarrubias, Landa, & Gallimore (2020)

Topic: Family Dynamics & Obligations

Instructions: 

College is a time when students experience a lot of ups and downs. The following statements highlight some challenging emotions students might feel as they compare their experiences in college with their experiences back home. Students might feel these emotions despite the support they receive from close others back home (e.g., parents, legal guardians, siblings). Carefully read each statement below and rate the extent to which you agree with these statements on a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree). (34 items)

Response Options:  

1. Strongly disagree
2. Somewhat disagree
3. Disagree
4. Agree
5. Somewhat agree
6. Strongly agree

Items:

1. I feel pressured to do well so as to not disappoint my family
2. I feel bad if my family thinks that I am not doing well in college (e.g., academically, socially, mentally)
3. I worry that I won't be able to meet the expectations of my family
4. I worry that I won't be able to repay my family for their investment in me (e.g., working long hours, educational support)
5. I worry that I won't be able to succeed in college for my family
6. I feel bad for focusing on school when there are problems at home
7. I worry I am neglecting family or responsibilities back home when I am away at school
8. I feel uncomfortable talking about my academic goals in front of my family
9. I worry that my family sees me differently now that I am in college
10. I worry that my family thinks I am too good for them or smarter than them
11. I feel frustrated when my family thinks I'm "all that" now that I'm in college
12. I feel sad that family cannot experience the opportunities I have in college
13. I feel conflicted that I have more freedom in college than family members have back home
14. I feel bad that my family didn't have the opportunity to go to college
15. I feel sad that I have more opportunities (e.g., learning new material, attending social events) in college than family members have back home
16. I feel bad that I have benefits in college (e.g., freedom, privacy) that my family does not
17. I feel bad that I have it pretty good in college while family members struggle
18. I feel sad when I hear about struggles back home while I'm away at college
19. I feel angry that my family doesn't have access to the same kind of opportunities that I do
20. I feel sad when I can't help with challenges back home
21. I worry about my family back home since I am not there anymore
22. I feel bad that I am not there when my family needs me
23. It bothers me when school keeps me from participating in activities back home
24. I feel bad for leaving home to pursue my interests in college
25. I feel frustrated when I am not in the loop about challenges back home
26. I feel bothered when I can't help my family because of school
27. I feel bad when my school responsibilities prevent me from helping out at home
28. I feel bad for not being able to fulfill my responsibilities back home
29. I feel bad because going to college means many sacrifices from my family
30. I feel sad when my family doesn't seem to understand my college experiences
31. I worry if my family thinks that I'm changing in college
32. I feel bad when my family thinks that college is changing me
33. I feel bad when I disagree with the opinions of my family, even if I keep it to myself
34. I feel sad that my family is not exposed to the things I'm learning in college

Citation:

Link to PDF:

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0146167220908382?casa_token=wC8-ch2lPbkAAAAA:2Qka_7GfDsw-QxtEr1h-A-GVD4IPZ2jMXJBKXZ5v4_zd_brly6ZKQsExgVbaWZu1Af6qW4K-rnU Links to an external site.

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