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The effectiveness of a positive psychology intervention on self-esteem and coping strategies of academically at-risk students
Author
Le, Do Nga Linh
Supervisor
Caleon, Imelda S.
Abstract
The present study examined the effects of a positive psychology intervention, which focused on the identification and application of character strengths, to improve academically at-risk adolescents’ self-esteem, foster the use of positive coping strategies and reduce the use of negative coping strategies. The sample population consisted of 60 academically at-risk students from three Secondary Two classes. The study used a split-plot experimental research design, which involved randomly splitting students within each class into two groups, one being the experimental group and the other being the placebo-control group. All students randomly assigned in the experimental group participated in the strengths-based activities while the students in the placebo-control group participated in the self-discovery activities for about six weeks. The students’ teachers, who underwent a workshop to learn how to conduct the activities, facilitated the activities of each group. Both the experimental group and placebo-control group did not report a significant change in their self-esteem before and after participating in their respective activities. Starting off with pre-intervention mean scores that did not differ significantly for the experimental and placebo-control group, the posttest mean score for negative coping of the former group was found to be significantly lower than that of the latter; however, the difference between the posttest mean scores for positive coping of both groups was not statistically significant. Overall, the results of this study revealed that strengths-based intervention activities are more effective in reducing the students’ use of negative coping strategies, but less so in terms of increasing positive coping strategies or self-esteem of academically at-risk students. The study opens doors for more research on the use of strengths- based intervention in the Asian education context.
Date Issued
2016
Call Number
BF204.6 Le
Date Submitted
2016