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The effects of a program of Instructional Counseling for optimism
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a program of Instructional Counseling for optimism on three variables: the acquisition or increase of optimistic beliefs, subjective perceptions of stress, and subjective perceptions of mental health (or well-being). Personal attributes influencing the acquisition and levels of optimism were also examined. A theoretical counseling model utilizing cognitive techniques for teaching optimistic beliefs was implemented for the study. The study utilized a pretest - posttest quasi-experimental design. Two intact groups of university students matched for age and gender comprised the experimental (N = 30) and the control (N = 60) groups. A one hour group counseling session was held with the experimental group once weekly over a six week period. Assessment instruments used in the study consisted of three paper and pencil measures: The Life Orientation Test, the Perceived Stress Scale, and a 52 item questionnaire adapted from 25 indexes of well-being taken from the 1976 Interview Schedule of the Survey Research Center of the University of Michigan. The measures were administered to both groups on two separate occasions six weeks apart. Respondent's answers were statistically analyzed using t-tests, ANOVA's and a multiple regression analysis. The findings of the study supported the following conclusions: (1) Optimistic beliefs can be learned in a relatively short period of time. (2) Cognitive counseling techniques are useful in the acquisition of optimistic beliefs. (3) Individuals reporting high levels of optimism tend to perceive less stress and higher levels of well-being in their lives. (4) Personal attributes such as age, gender, marital status, and belief in the influence of a higher power in life events appear to have little influence on the acquisition or increase of optimism.
Subject Area
Academic guidance counseling|Educational psychology|Personality
Recommended Citation
Somers, James Edward, "The effects of a program of Instructional Counseling for optimism" (1991). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9129573.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9129573