Supporting Families of First-Generation College Students: Utilizing a Family Resilience Framework

Abstract Though attending college offers many positive opportunities, navigating the college experience may present challenges especially for first-generation college students. When a child is first in the family to pursue and attend college, shifts may occur within the family system, causing families to feel unprepared or hesitant. Therefore, counselors who work with first-generation college students and their families are in key positions to support their adaptations to such changes and transitions. This article applied the strengths-based approach of Walsh's family resilience framework for counselors to help families leverage their strengths and resources and empower them to collaboratively cope with the stressors that come with supporting their children. The authors provide a case study to practically apply the family resilience framework and present implications, limitations, and considerations for future research.