Biodata Measurement Dimensions As Well As The Relationship With The University Freshman School Adjustment

Owens and Schoenfeldt (1979) first proposed Biographical data (Biodata), it refers to“usinga questionnaire to record a biography , like a detailed resume, it usually covers the individual’spast background and life experience, including educational experience, interests, family, leisure,personal health situation, early work experience, attitudes, and values”. With the continuousfurther study, the definition of biodata and division of its dimension are also in constantadjustment. Biodata is a highly targeted measurement tool. Researchers should develop a specialbiographical questionnaire for the research purpose and participant groups, which means that thecontent and dimensions are different, according to the difference of research purpose andparticipant groups.College adjustment refers to students actively adjust the body and mind, successfully finishschool, and achieve the purpose of school education, during the process of interaction withschool environment. The first year of college is the transition from high school to university,college study is also the transition stage of adolescent mental development. College adjustment isthe main problem that currently confuses students’mental development. Effective solutions tothese developmental issues can directly affect students’body and mind development, with aprofound impact on the development of their adulthood.This study was divided into preparatory research and formal research. The preparatory studywas conducted to develop a biographical questionnaire. According to the 12 dimensions ofbiodata that Neal Schmitt and Frederick L. Oswald etc (2007) proposed, literature review andinterviews, we identified our biographical questionnaire as 13 dimensions, including knowledge,learning, art, change, leadership, interpersonal, social responsibility, health, occupation,adaptation, perseverance, morality, and family. Empirical criterion keying and rational constructwhich were the most commonly used were united to develop our questionnaire. After itemselection, learning, art, interpersonal, heath, occupation, perseverance, and family were reservedfinally, including 46 items. Then, the internal consistency coefficientsαof the dimensions ofbiographical questionnaire ranged from 0.57 to 0.85, while the internal consistency coefficientα of the whole questionnaire was 0.89.The formal study was conducted to investigate the relationship among biodata, personality,and college adjustment among freshmen, by using biographical questionnaire which wasdeveloped by ourselves, Youth Small-Five Personality Inventory, and the Student Adaptation toCollege Questionnaire. The participants in this research were 400 freshmen from Lishan college ofShandong Normal University. This paper is the earliest research on this area. The results showedthat:(1) Significant differences existed in college adjustment among freshmen in terms of genderand major; so as well as part of dimensions of biodata.(2) Biodata, personality, and college adjustment among freshmen were significantcorrelation.(3) Biodata and personality were both significant predictors of college adjustment amongfreshmen, and biodata could provide incremental validity above personality for predictingcollege adjustment among freshmen (△R~2=0.434).(4) Extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism were mediating therelationship between biodata and college adjustment among freshmen. The mediating effectsizes were 0.02, 0.02, 0.02. and 0.03, respectively, accounting for 2.2% , 2.5%, 2.0%, and3.9% of the total effect.