The Effectiveness of Strength-Based Cognitive Behavior Approach in Psychoeducation To Improve College Students' Psychological Capital
The Effectiveness of Strength-Based Cognitive Behavior Approach in Psychoeducation To Improve College Students' Psychological Capital
The Effectiveness of Strength-Based Cognitive Behavior Approach in Psychoeducation To Improve College Students' Psychological Capital
ISSN No:-2456-2165
Edy Purwanto
Graduate School of Universitas Negeri Semarang
Semarang, Indonesia
Sunawan
Graduate School of Universitas Negeri Semarang
Semarang, Indonesia
Abstract:- College Students are individuals who face relationships, developing intellectual, manual and emotional
challenges related to various academic and non-academic competencies, build personal integrity and self-identity. The
demands. The development of psychological capacities is unpreparedness of students to deal with situations and demands
thus important to help them overcome these challenges. during their college life can be the basis for the emergence of
Psychoeducation is one of the efforts to develop the positive various kinds of problems related to psychological disorders
capacity of students psychologically and needs to be done and mental health (Selvaraj, 2015).
with an effective approach. The purpose of this study was
to examine the effectiveness of the strength-based cognitive Many studies on mental health in students have been
behavior approach to develop psychological capital in carried out and have raised awareness about the importance of
students. This study is a quasi-experimental method using efforts to improve student mental health. Salimi et.al (2021)
a pretest-posttest comparison group design. Due to the stated that mental health problems in students are issues that
pandemic situation, psychoeducation in this study was need attention. The development of students' psychological
carried out online. Pre-test, post-test and follow-up scores capacities is one of the many efforts made to support
of psychological capital were measured and compared psychological growth and support mental health.
between experimental group and control group. Data was
analyzed using mixed-design analysis of variance. The One of the constructs that has been widely researched
results showed that psychoeducation using a strength- and has predictive value on mental health is the psychological
based cognitive behavior approach did not significantly capital construct developed by Luthans (2002). This construct
increase the psychological capital of college students. The includes four components, namely Hope, Self-efficacy,
implications for the development of student psychological Resilience and Optimism. The construct of psychological
capital, the limitations of the study and suggestions for capital has been widely studied in the academic field. Research
further research are discussed. conducted by Riolli (2012) states that psychological capital
serves as a factor that strengthens students in dealing with
Keywords—Psychoeducation; Strength-Based Cognitive stress. Psychological capital is also correlated with college
Behavior Approach; Psychological Capital; College Students. students’ psychological well-being (Selvaraj, 2015).
Psychological capital has a correlation with academic
I. INTRODUCTION engagement and intrinsic motivation (Siu, Bakker, Jiang,
2014; Martinez et.al., 2019) and mental health (Selvaraj &
College students are faced with various challenges related Bhat, 2018 ; Javaheri, 2017). Selvaraj (2015) recommends the
to academic and non-academic demands. Viewed from the the need for learning opportunities that focus on increasing the
stage of development, college students are in the early adult positive qualities of individuals in higher education. This is
stage. Chikering (1993) states that there are seven also in line with Javaheri's research (2017) which states that
developmental tasks that must be mastered by individuals in introductions and interventions to increase psychological
early adulthood, including building autonomy and capital for students can help students to have more effective
interdependence, managing emotions, establishing and problem-solving strategies. Previously, Luthans et.al. (2006)
clarifying goals to be achieved, building mature interpersonal have developed a brief intervention that is proven to increase
Cognitive behavior approaches have been widely used in Data analysis was conducted using repeated measures anova.
psychoeducation, including those related to resilience, Test of normality was first performed on the data that had been
irrational belief, and well-being (Sahin & Turk, 2021), mental collected. Data analysis showed the Shapiro-Wilk significance
health (Fathiyah et.al., 2020), and body image in adolescents value was obtained with a p value > 0.05 (Sig = 0.290) for
(Mauludina et. al, 2012). The cognitive behavioral approach is measurements in the pre-test, post-test and follow-up in the
widely used to help individuals understand maladaptive experimental and control groups. This means that the data for
thoughts which often become the source of problems (Sugay each group in this study is normally distributed and meets the
2020). In this study, the principles of the cognitive behavioral requirements for normality. Furthermore, the assumption test
approach are used in the internal dialogue process carried out of Mauchyl's test of sphericity showed the p value .> 0.05 (Sig
on individuals to identify their strengths and resources, = 0.559) and thus the Mauchly's test of sphericity is fulfilled.
especially to develop psychological capital. Jones (in Stoerkel,
2020) emphasizes that although the main focus is on Result of the data analysis showed the value of F =
individual strengths, this does not mean that weaknesses are 0.847 (p> 0.05) as shown in Table 1. This means that there is
ignored, but they need to be managed. no differences of psychological capital scores before, after and
two weeks after attending sessions of psychoeducation. Thus
III. METHOD the research hypothesis which states that there is an effect of
time of measurement on increasing psychological capital is
This study used a quasi-experimental method using a rejected. In other words, psychoeducation with strength-based
pretest-posttest comparison group design. This study used two cognitive behavior approach in this study did not increase
groups, namely the experimental group and the control group. students’ psychological capital significantly.
The experimental group received five psychoeducation
The result of the study also indicated that test results of strength-based cognitive behavior approach in
between-subjects effects showed the value of F=1.6 (p> 0.05) psychoeducation is effective to increase students’
as shown in Table 2. It means that there is no differences of psychological capital is rejected in this study. Some factors
psychological capital between the experimental group and the that may have impact on this result were discussed.
control group. Thus the research hypothesis which states that
V. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION used and has been able to improve students’ understanding,
motivation, and a number of student skills (Overton, 2016).
Cognitive behavior approach is combined with strengths However, in this study, the purpose of giving worksheets and
approach which aims to increase students’ psychological reflection sheets as independent assignments did not seem to
capital. Strength-based approach to cognitive behavior in have been achieved. Individual tasks that must be done
psychoeducation uses the basic principles in the cognitive- independently requires the ability of self-regulated learning
behavioral approach by emphasizing individual’s strengths. among the participants. If students lack of this ability, then it
In this study, it was found that the use of the strength-based will be difficult to process the information they learned
cognitive behavior approach was not proven to be effective in independently and to be able to reflect on their learning
increasing students’ psychological capital. Several factors that experiences. Students' self-regulated learning abilities are
influence the results of the study are discussed as followed. In needed to achieve success despite various challenges they face
this study, the identification of the individual strengths was in the online learning process (Dewi et.al., 2020).
only done through filling out questionnaires in a relatively
short time, and was not explored in depth. It was also not In this study, the delivery of psychoeducational material
followed by an emphasis on how these strengths are used by on psychological capital was delivered using the lecture
individuals. In this case, Wood (2010) mentions that research method and followed by question and answer session. During
on the topic of individuals’ strengths often only stops at these process, many students did not showed high
identification, and is not followed by how to use these participation. This situation might relate to the use of the
strengths. lecture method as the method delivery. This is in accordance
with Pugsley's (2003) research which states that compared to
The sessions of psychoeducation in this study were the lecture method, students show more positive attitudes
carried out online using synchronous mode, due to the towards the use of experiential learning methods in lectures.
pandemic situation. One of the difficulty in online sessions of This is also supported by research from Priharsanti et.al.
psychoeducation experienced in this study was to create a (2020) which proves that the use of story telling media in
cohesive atmosphere in the group and to build participant psychoeducation can increase psychological capital for first
activity. Weinberg (2020) mentions that in online group year students.
interventions, it is important to build participants’ involvement
in the group. It is also important to increase activities that can VI. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
help self-disclosure to compensate for the absence of physical
interaction. In short, the difficulty of establishing interaction In this study, the strength-based cognitive behavior
with participants in psychoeducational sessions became a approach in psychoeducation was not proven to be effective in
challenge in this study. Limitations in building interactions in increasing psychological capital in college students. However,
psychoeducational groups are very likely to have an impact on several factors in this study may have impact on the results of
the achievement of activity goals. Regarding group the study. The first factor is that psychoeducation in this study
intervention conducted online, Weinberg (2020) also stated was carried out online due to the pandemic situation, so that
that online group intervention is a new thing for now and interaction and atmosphere in the group were less cohesive
therefore not many studies have been conducted to test its than if it was done face-to-face. In addition, the use of the
effectiveness. Weinberg added that one of the challenges that lecture method to deliver educational material on
emerged in online groups was to build cohesiveness and psychological capital did not seem to be able to increase
alliances within the group. In this study, one of the efforts students’ motivation to involve actively in each
made to increase participants' involvement in psychoeducation psychoeducation sessions given. The use of Worksheets and
was through Worksheets and Reflection Sheets which were Reflection Sheets, which were expected to increase students’
given as independent assignments. Through Worksheets and involvement in psychoeducational activities, has not worked
Reflection Sheets, it is hoped that it will help participants to optimally. Other thing is that the use of strength-based
find the right context and meaning for themselves. Giving approach should not only reached at the identification of
context is needed so that there is a connection between the strengths and need to be explored to how individuals can use
information obtained in psychoeducation and that individual them in their contexts especially to strengthen psychological
can apply what they have learned creatively, practically and capital. Future research on this topic may give more focus on
critically in everyday life (Sabramowicz, 2016). the delivery method of psychoeducation using the same
approach and to explore more on how to use individual
The worksheets used in this psychoeducation include the strengths related to psychological capital according to their
presentation of a problem that needs to be solved by the respective contexts.
participants. The use of problems as a learning tool is widely