Preface

As the lead author of the first two editions of Student Development in College, I read the chapters included in the third edition with feelings that are both bittersweet and joyful; bittersweet as I have had only a minor role in this edition, and joyful about the fine job my colleagues, Lori Patton, Kristen Renn, Flo Guido, and Stephen Quaye, have done in carrying on the tradition of producing a high-quality and insightful work that will ensure that student affairs graduate students are grounded in student development theory and can use it effectively in their work with students now and in the future. These authors know the field of student affairs very well, are effective teachers, and understand the nuances of using theory in student affairs settings.

The overall purpose of this book remains the same as in earlier editions: to provide a general overview and introduction to student development theory in a book that will continue to serve as the go-to resource for those most committed to conscious and intentional student affairs practice. However, the organization and focus of this edition of Student Development in College are quite different than they were in the first two editions and may surprise readers who have used one or both of those editions.

First, the authors expanded and revised the content of the introductory and closing sections. The introduction includes a greatly expanded review of the philosophical underpinnings of student development research and practice and a revised discussion of the use of theory in student affairs settings. Of particular importance, in Chapter 2 the authors included an expanded discussion of worldviews and paradigms that undergird student development research. Researchers within the fields of education, sociology, and psychology, as well as other fields that contribute to an understanding of student development, now use more varied methodologies grounded in a variety of paradigms, including constructionist and critical approaches, along with the more widely recognized positivist paradigm. Students and users of student development theory must understand these newer approaches and how they shape theoretical propositions and ways of thinking about theory and its use in practice. In the final introductory chapter on the use of theory, Patton and her colleagues offered discussion of the developmental process, including streamlined reviews of ecological and transition theories, each of which previously had its own chapter. The authors have correctly pointed out that these theories focus on the manner in which development occurs rather than on development itself. Patton and her coauthors also introduced a recently published theory-to-practice model that should be of great utility to those who are new to the topic. The focus on ways of using theory in various settings, found in the closing section, has also been shifted. Rather than presenting scenarios, as found in the second edition of Student Development in College, the authors of the third edition have addressed theory-to-practice applications by exploring how to engage others in discussions of various theories, discussing ways in which theory can be taught in graduate student affairs classes, examining how theory can be used in difficult dialogues, and exploring ways of using theory in self-analysis both to better learn the theory and also to share it more effectively with others. This new approach to exploring use of theory in practice is very practical for students, faculty, and student affairs professionals.

After the introductory section, the authors open the discussion of theories in the third edition with a greatly expanded section focused on social identity theories rather than using the more traditional chronological approach, starting with psychosocial and cognitive developmental theories, that the second edition authors used. The third edition authors also included several chapters on social identities that had not previously been examined in the book (for example, disability and social class identity as well as emergent digital and national identities). In some of the social identity chapters, Patton and her colleagues deleted previously included theories in favor of newer theories that appear to have more potential for broader and more inclusive student affairs applications than older theories did (for example, a new theory of sexual identity development, which applies to heterosexual identity development as well as non-heterosexual identity development, replaces the theories included in the second edition that apply only to gay, lesbian, and bisexual identity development). Appropriately, given the attention that these topics are receiving in the student development literature, Patton and her coauthors have also expanded their discussion of multiple dimensions of identity and the intersectionality of social identities. These authors still addressed the more familiar psychosocial and cognitive-structural theories, but later in the book and in a more condensed version.

Readers may be wondering why these somewhat radical changes in organization and content were made. If readers are familiar with student development research conducted since 2010, when the second edition of Student Development in College appeared, the answer will be apparent. During this time period, almost all the research related to student development has centered on social identity and foundational knowledge related to privilege, oppression, multiple identities, and intersectionality. With the exception of new work examining the sources and outcomes of self-authorship, which was again given its own chapter in the third edition, only minimal work has centered on psychosocial and cognitive structural development. Another advantage of starting the examination of theory by discussing social identities is that this approach is more likely to engage diverse students whose background may relate to one or more of these theories. Getting all students involved in class discussions early in the process may help to create a richer and more critical analysis of theories.

Another change that will be readily apparent to readers of earlier editions is the omission of student profiles at the start of each chapter. Rather than offering short scenarios that might seem rather stereotypical, the authors have developed a complex scenario along with expanded life stories of students about to start their journey within a student affairs graduate program, which can be found in an appendix. As they review each chapter, readers are encouraged to consider how the various theories might help to explain how the profiled students might respond to situations within the ongoing scenarios and how the situations might affect development of these profiled students. In addition, at the end of each chapter, the authors have provided a number of thoughtful questions and activities to assist readers in recalling and retaining the most important points about each theory and other content included. The questions can also be used to spark discussion in and out of class.

While the changes in Student Development in College may seem overwhelming at first glance, a more thorough study of the book will convince most readers that the changes that Patton, Renn, Guido, and Quaye have brought to the book are meaningful, based on current directions in the student affairs literature, and intended to strengthen readers' learning of the most important literature base in the student affairs profession: student development theory and its uses in the practice of student affairs. I encourage readers to approach this new edition with an open mind. I know that they will be rewarded with a much broader knowledge of student development theory and application than readers gained from the earlier two editions.

The opening section of the book, Part One, provides an overview of student development theory, particularly the process of understanding, using, and translating theory to practice. The three chapters in this section trace the historical context and evolution of student development (Chapter One), situate student development theory within the context of diverse worldviews and paradigms (Chapter Two), and provide recommendations and strategies for approaching theory and its use from a holistic and integrative framework (Chapter Three). Collectively, these chapters provide readers with a solid foundation for gaining a nuanced comprehension of theory.

Part Two places significant emphasis on social identity development processes in college. Patton and her colleagues have expanded this section of the book, which closely mirrors the trajectory of the research conducted in the field. In Chapter Four, they introduce concepts related to social identity development, especially privilege and oppression. They also describe multiple identity models and the interconnections between diverse identities. Chapter Five includes content on racial identity development models and theories. The chapter is framed through a critical race lens before presenting the general model of Derald W. Sue and David Sue, the Black identity model of William Cross and Peony Fhagen-Smith, the White racial identity models of Janet Helms and Wayne Rowe and his colleagues, Jean Kim's model of Asian American identity development, Bernardo Ferdman and Plácida Gallego's model of Latino identity development, Perry Horse's examination of how race is viewed in American Indian communities, and Kristen Renn's ecological approach to multiracial identity.

In Chapter Six, the authors examine concepts such as ethnic identity and acculturation through various models, including Jean...