influence of advisor-advisee relational fit on the college academic advising experience: a collective case study.

• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2047/D20193847

Academic advising is viewed as an important aspect of a successful college experience, yet it is difficult to link the relational fit of a dyadic pair to the academic advising experience of students and their advisors. The purpose of this study was to explore how college students and advisors within academic advising relationships perceive their relational fit and how the fit influences the college academic advising experience. Ten faculty-student advising pairs participated in this study. The researcher utilized a collective case study approach to examine the relational nature of bounded pairs in the advising context. Peplau's interpersonal relations theory provided the lens to explore the scaffolding of relational development within a professional practice. The participants revealed that the connectedness between the advising pair was influenced by the development of the relationship over time. The participants perceived that the authenticity of the faculty advisor created the foundation for relational growth and an increase in connectedness between the pair. In addition, the independence of the student partner is the culminating outcome of the relational learning experience. The findings are relevant for institutional leaders, advising practitioners, students, and individuals who study the field of academic advising. Additional research is needed to explore the influence institutional and student type has on the development of relational fit of bounded advising pairs in the academic advising context.