A focused intervention for 1st-year college students: Promoting hope, sense of coherence, and self-efficacy

Oranit B. Davidson, David B. Feldman, Malka Margalit*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

123 Scopus citations

Abstract

Many students experience elevated psychological distress during their 1st year at college. Within the salutogenic paradigm (A. Antonovsky, 1987), sense of coherence (SOC), self-efficacy, and hope (in terms of hope theory; C. R. Snyder, 2002) are considered as protective factors in the demanding academic system. Study goals were to examine the outcomes of a focused workshop for 43 students, targeting the promotion of hope, sense of coherence, and self-efficacy for enhancing students academic adjustment as expressed through their grades. Results revealed an effect over the 3 measurement time-points (before the workshop, immediately after it, and after 1 month), as well as the interactions of time and hope levels. Although their mean grades were not statistically different before the intervention, students who achieved higher levels of hope following the workshop got higher grades in the semester following the intervention. SOC and self-efficacy scores were significantly related both to hope levels after 1 month and to mean grades. The implications of this study for promoting a hopeful orientation in educational systems are discussed, and future interventional research is suggested.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)333-352
Number of pages20
JournalJournal of Psychology: Interdisciplinary and Applied
Volume146
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 May 2012

Keywords

  • college students
  • hope theory
  • intervention
  • self-efficacy
  • sense of coherence

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