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In the 1970’s, studies began to show that college-level self-management courses effectively promoted self-change in more than 90% of college students. These courses aim to promote positive and healthy outcomes, replace bad habits, and accomplish tasks using different strategies. Since then studies of self-management courses have examined the efficacy of the SM programs with different degrees of intensities including course content of course, feedback from professionals, and small group activities. Researchers have found that SM courses have changed both moderate and unhealthy clinically pathological behaviors such as nail-biting and depression without therapists’ help. In particular, Jean Choi and Kyong-Mee Chung examined the effectiveness SM courses contain in improving a target behavior within a college. They investigated the relationship between self-regulated behaviors and academic achievement. After conducting the study they found that the application of principles and skills taught by high-intensity SM courses were the most effective at promoting successful self-change.
In order to construct the experiment they took a sampling of 84 total college students and assigning 1-3 conditions. These were Experiment group I (high-intensity SM courses), Experiment Group II (low-intensity SM courses) and a third group that was a control. Each SM group ran for one semester and engaged in projects for 3 months with a required report at end. At the beginning of the semester students chose a target behavior they wished to modify and improve upon by course completion. In the high-intensity course students were taught SM theories and practical applications while participating in small group activities. The low intensity group did no activities, exercises, extensive group work; they were taught only general theory and excluded SM skills training. The control group was students enrolled in Clinical psychology which promoted understand of theory and current trends of clinical psychology.
To efficiently collect quantitative data they utilized four different scales. Each scale was created by earlier researchers and measured different behaviors in the form of a 5 point scale. The first scale, the Goal Attainment scale, was devised in order to measure goal achievement. Students would write down specific behavioral goals they would like to achieve and then how successful they believed to be from a scale from -2 to +2. The second scale called the Generalized Expectancy of Success Scale (GESS-R) was used to collect students expected level of success in a series of situations after they had completed their courses. Lastly, the Motivation and Expectancy Change Scale measured an individual’s motivation and expectancy for change.
After conducting the experiment and collecting data they found significant difference between High-intensity SM courses and the control group. There was no significant difference however in the success found between high and low intensity SM courses or the low intensity and control group. Posttest score differences were found for all three variables across the board; goal achievement, expected level of success, and motivation and expectancy for change. Each of the groups improved substantially across the board and supported the claim that high intensity SM courses successfully promoted self-change in college students.
When analyzing this data, the application of SM principles and skills were found to be effective in modifying target behavior. Furthermore, the level of successful behavioral change was found to be dependent on the SM course’s intensity and most likely to occur in high-intensity SM courses. This is backed by the fact that students found greater goal success with intensive academic intervention and detailed, personal feedback. Another interesting result they found is that successful behavioral change is related to positive cognitive change. If a student has a lack of optimism about their ability to succeed or they blame external circumstance for their failures, the application of SM skills appeared to be a useful strategy. Upon looking at all of the data from the experiment we can conclude that individuals using SM techniques have the tools to modify and improve cognitive processing, internal locus or control, and success expectancy. If college students what to be successful in college, then SM courese should be highly recommended.
Choi, Jean. "Effectiveness of a College-Level Self Management Course." Sage Journal 36.18 (2011). Print
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