The Development of Life Purpose
in College Students:
A Preliminary Study on the Effects of
an International Living and Learning
Experience
Cindy Miller-Perrin
Don Thompson
Pepperdine University
Conference of the Association
for the Study of Higher Education
November 7, 2009
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The Value of Study Abroad



Foreign Language Proficiency
Enhanced Cultural Understanding
Personal Growth



Intellectual
Emotional
External vs. Internal Educational
Goals
2
Research Hypothesis
Students who participate in an
International Program have more
significant growth in faith, sense of
life purpose and calling, and
identity than those who do not.
3
Sampling Method


Participants drawn from stratified
random sample of 300 students
from 2002 entering class
Current sample included 74
students ranging in age from 18-22
years
4
Sample Demographics

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Participants primarily Caucasian
(70%)
Primarily Protestant (65%)
Parental income over $100,000
(47%)
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Dependent Measures

Faith Surveys


Identity Status


Faith Attitudes and Experiences
Diffusion, Foreclosure, Moratorium,
Achievement
Life Purpose


Sense of Life Purpose, Calling,
Discernment
Service Toward Others
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Faith Attitude Survey
Subscales
Sample Items
Strength of Beliefs
 I view myself as a religious person.
 I have doubts about whether my religious
beliefs are true.
Importance of
 Religion is not a very important part of my
life right now.
 My faith is not very important to me.
Faith
Life Application of
Faith
 I depend on my faith in God for decisionmaking and direction.
 I try hard to carry my religious beliefs into all
other dealings in my life.
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Faith Experience Survey
Subscales
Religious Behavior
Spiritual Feelings
Sample Items
 How often do you attend religious services?
 How often have you read the bible in the last
year?
 Within your religious or spiritual tradition,
how often do you meditate?
 I find strength and comfort in my religion or
faith
 I feel God's love for me, directly or through
others
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Ego Identity Status Measure

Classifies subjects into one of four identity groups:

Achievement: exploration and commitment


Moratorium: exploration without commitment


“Religion is confusing to me right now. I keep changing my
views on what is right and wrong for me.”
Foreclosure: no exploration, but commitment


“It took me a while to figure it out, but now I really know what I
want for a career.”
“My parents decided a long time ago what I should go into for
employment and I’m following through with their plans.”
Diffusion: no exploration or commitment

“I haven’t really considered politics. It just doesn’t excite me
much.”
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Vocational Calling Survey
Subscales
Sample Items
Sense of Life
 I have a well-developed understanding of what
my gifts and talents are.
 I have a good sense for my purpose in life
Purpose,
Calling, and
Discernment
Service Toward
Others
 I plan to enter a career that emphasizes service
to others.
 I feel a deep sense of responsibility for reducing
pain and suffering in the world.
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International Programs at
Pepperdine University


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Provide students a life changing
international experience designed for
intellectual, social, personal and
spiritual transformation.
Buenos Aires, Costa Rica, Florence,
Heidelberg, Honduras, Hong Kong,
Lausanne, London, Madrid, Thailand
55% of sophomores participate
Student Experiences
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Living & Learning Community
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Academic Community
Library, computer lab, offices, classrooms, dorm
rooms, & student center
13
Spiritual Community
Weekly Bible
Studies and House
Church
14
Mentoring Community
The mentor-protégé relationship
is critical.
15
Travel
Students travel each weekend
Program-wide field trip each term

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Research Procedure

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Web-based survey, administered every
spring semester of students’ college
career
Response rate ranged from 64-83%
Analyzed subsample matched on age
and sex


IP Group = 37 students who attended an
international program during their
sophomore year
No IP Group = 37 students who did not
attend an international program
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Results


Preliminary analyses using chi-square
analyses indicated no significant IP
group differences on measures of SES,
religion, or ethnicity
Compared IP vs. No IP groups during
first and senior years on measures of
faith, vocational calling, and identity
using repeated measures ANOVA
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Faith Application Scores for FirstYear and Senior Time Periods
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Sense of Calling Scores for First-Year
and Senior Time Periods
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Service Scores for First-Year and
Senior Time Periods
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Achievement Scores for First-Year
and Senior Time Periods
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Summary of Findings

International Living and
Learning Experiences
Enhance
Faith Application
 Vocational Discernment
 Vocational Service
 Identity Achievement

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Implications
Shake students loose. Introduce them to an
experience, preferably in another culture,
that demands that they question life
assumptions.
Facilitate a sense of community, requiring
mutual dependency and trust.
Practice mentoring. Train faculty and staff.
Provide opportunities for the mentor-protégé
connection.
Transformation will occur – watch for and
nurture it.
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Conclusions


International living and learning
experiences facilitate greater growth in
faith, sense of life purpose, and identity
Significant opportunities for personal
growth occur when students leave their
cultural comfort zone and rely on
communities with mentoring support.
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cperrin@pepperdine.edu
thompson@pepperdine.edu
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