What the study found
The study found that among 5,604 work/life service cases, concierge-type help for personal life needs was used most often, followed by financial referrals, legal referrals, childcare help, and other services. The sample was mostly students at large, private, for-profit universities with online or hybrid instruction, and the average age was 36.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors suggest the profile helps describe how work/life services were used in a Student Assistance Program, and they compare it with a broader employee profile of work/life service use. They also conclude that the study adds case examples and discusses limitations and implications.
What the researchers tested
The researchers retrospectively analyzed archival real-world data from AllOne Health's Student Assistance Program covering 2020 to 2024. The sample included students from 29 U.S. higher education institutions, and the paper examined service-use patterns and exploratory tests of factors linked to service use.
What worked and what didn't
Concierge-type support for personal life needs was the most common service at 44%, followed by referrals to a financial advisor for credit and money problems at 36%, referrals to lawyers for personal legal issues at 12%, help finding childcare at 4%, and other services at 4%. Of 32 exploratory tests, only 6 showed results, and all of those effects were small; younger students used childcare support more, older students used legal support more, service use was similar during the COVID-19 pandemic and afterward, and school characteristics had few meaningful associations with use.
What to keep in mind
The abstract says the paper discusses study limitations, but it does not list them in detail. The findings are based on one program, one provider, and students from 29 U.S. institutions, so the scope is limited to that sample as described.
Key points
- The study profiled 5,604 work/life service cases from a Student Assistance Program.
- Personal-life concierge help was the most used service type at 44%.
- Financial referrals made up 36% of use, while legal referrals made up 12%.
- Younger students used childcare support more, and older students used legal support more.
- Only 6 of 32 exploratory tests showed results, and all were small.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Work/life service use varied across student assistance cases
- Authors:
- Mark Attridge, Jason C. McDaniel
- Publication date:
- 2026-03-08
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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