Multidimensional perceptions of support and academic motivation: Predicting academic persistence among first-generation black university students

Social support and academic motivation play an imperative role in university students’ success. This study investigated the influence of perceived social support and academic motivation on academic persistence. The participants included 207 undergraduate first-generation black students (FGBS) from a comprehensive university in South Africa (Mean age = 28.82 years; standard deviation [SD] = 5.15). The results revealed that perceived friendship support and academic motivation significantly predicted academic persistence. In addition, academic motivation significantly mediated the association between perceived friendship support and academic persistence. The results further demonstrated that academic motivation was a significant mediator in the association between perceived social support from significant others and academic persistence. The study highlights the need for universities to devise support interventions to heighten perceptions of social support and academic motivation among FGBS so as to enhance their desire for academic persistence. Contribution: This article provides an empirical understanding of the challenges FGBS encounter in institutions of higher learning and offers practical strategies that higher education administrators could implement to support historically disadvantaged students in their endeavour to succeed in their studies.