Do Perceptions of General Campus Climate Mediate Disability Status and Institutional Satisfaction?: A Replication Study

Abstract

The present study examined the potential mediating role of perceptions of general campus climate on the relationship between disability status and institutional satisfaction across two independent university samples—both of which are large predominately white midwestern institutions in the United States. Consistent with the proposed hypotheses, disability status was negatively related to general campus climate perceptions and institutional satisfaction and positively correlated with institutional satisfaction. In both samples, perceptions of general campus climate significantly explained the link between disability status and institutional satisfaction. In the first sample, perceptions of general campus climate partially mediated the aforementioned connection. However, in the second sample, perceptions of general campus climate fully mediated disability status and college student satisfaction. Findings, implications, and limitations are discussed.