“A balancing act”: Experiences of pregnant and/or parenting students

Abstract

Students who are also parents shoulder multiple roles and responsibilities. This population of students employs various balancing strategies to manage the conflicting roles of both parent and student. Research suggests the balancing act can result in significant distress, poor academic outcomes, and guilt from not achieving their ideal self in either role. This study sought to understand pregnant and/or parenting (P&P) students perceived needs, their experiences and influencing factors in accessing accommodations, and the extent to which campus culture feels supportive of their P&P status. Seven P&P students attending the University of Regina were recruited to participate in focus groups to explore their perceptions and experiences. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the transcripts from the interviews and focus groups with P&P students. Three main themes emerged. The Balancing Act represents the challenges P&P students face (lack of time and stigmatization) and the coping mechanisms used (scheduling, compartmentalization, and integrating roles) to manage their multiple roles. Avenues of Support describes the most common supports P&P students utilize as well as their perspectives on what is missing and how the University of Regina could be improved to be more inclusive. Finally, The Pending Area reflects P&P students’ confusion about the Centre for Student Accessibility and how the inclusion of family status is interpreted in various ways. These findings may inform policy change to better accommodate P&P students at the University of Regina and contribute to knowledge of how post-secondary education can be made more inclusive.