Psychological Well-Being of College Students: Validation of the Personal-Social Responsibility and Wellness Module
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Journal of Educational and Human Resource Development 8:59-70 (2020) Southern Leyte State University, Sogod, Southern Leyte, Philippines Psychological Well-Being of College Students: Validation of the Personal-Social Responsibility and Wellness Module *Gino A. Cabrera, Helene D. Daya Noreen P. Echague Southern Luzon State University Lucban, Quezon, Philippines Abstract The present study is the second phase of an earlier study that identified the psychological well-being (PWB) of college students in a state university in Quezon Province, Philippines. The findings of the previous study served as the basis for formulating and developing the Personal-Social Responsibility and Wellness (PSRW) course module, which is integrated into the new college curricula as a 3-unit subject. The course module aims to increase wellness and well-being among the students to cope with the demands of college life positively. This present study is the validation of the developed module. The validation is carried out using a combination of an ex post facto research that intends to measure the effectiveness of the course module in enhancing the PWB of the students and a predictive cross-sectional study to ascertain the socio-demographic predictors of PWB. This research involves 676 first-year students from six colleges of the main campus and eight satellite campuses of the university. Using Ryff’s PWB scale as pre- and post-test, paired sample t-test indicated a significant change in the six PWB dimensions such as autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations, purpose in life, and self-acceptance, and overall PWB of the students. Henceforth, results suggest the continued use of the developed evidence-informed module. A follow-up study focusing on qualitative data on how the module improved student PWB is recommended. Future studies may also explore factors that contribute to the effectiveness of the module. Keywords: Psychological Well-being of college students; Validation of the personal-social responsibility and wellness module Introduction have been dramatic shifts in lifestyle-related behaviors and how to manage stress (Bian, Wu, Li & Largo-Wright, 2012). In fact, in College life can be chaotic and full of college days, there are overwhelming peer psychological stress due to many factors, pressure and academic demands that one including cognitive challenges, social has to cope with. adjustments, and financial demands. As Bernardo and Resurreccion (2018) have a college student, one might experience observed that there is a growing number transferring from a remote rural area going to of researches, especially in other countries a place of a somehow different cultures, which that deal particularly with stress in higher may require adjustments. Some of them have education students. Also, more mental health to engage in part-time jobs to finance their practitioners became more responsive to expenses at school. Consequently, there *Correspondence: [email protected] ISSN 2545-9759 Cabrera, Daya, and Echague JEHRD Vol.8, 2020 the range of student stressors. Evident to (Villarosa & Ganoticem 2018). The scale is this, psychological assessment tools have intended for a wide range of age groups, and been developed, adapted, and validated captures the six dimensions of PWB, such as for use in specific populations of college autonomy, environmental mastery, personal students. Consequently, several studies have growth, positive relations, purpose in life, and been conducted to explore the psychological self-acceptance. well-being (PWB) of those in college (e.g., Knowing the characteristics of students who Daraei, 2013; Suvera, 2013). Since PWB are likely experiencing psychological distress plays a role in shaping academic outcomes is a necessary first step for developing (Datu & Lizada, 2018), it is vital for an interventions (Burris, Brechting, Salsman, & educational institution to look into the PWB Carlson, 2009). The earlier study conducted of its students. Suvera (2013) explained by Cabrera, Daya, and Echague (2019) that that PWB indicates physical and mental involved 700 students became the basis for wellness, which has something to do developing a 3-unit euthenics subject that with people’s feelings about everyday life was integrated into the new college curricula activities that range from mental states of the university. Some of their significant and psychological strains such as anxiety, findings include: (1) majority of the students depression, frustration, emotional exhaustion, came from low-income family; (2) more unhappiness, and dissatisfaction. Daraei than half of them were boarders and were (2013) stressed that knowledge about the living away from their family; (3) they were different aspects of PWB could help in lower in autonomy, environmental mastery, designing prevention programs for students and self-acceptance; (4) younger students to mend their psychological and social were lower in environmental mastery; (5) functioning. teacher education students were lowest in Higher education institutions should look autonomy; (6) arts and sciences students were into the PWB of its students to provide lowest in environmental mastery, personal evidence-based intervention programs, and growth, positive relations, purpose in life, and appropriate student services. Interestingly, self-acceptance. Based on these findings, the annual report of the Guidance, Counseling 23 modules were formulated grounded on and Testing Center of the university under experiential learning approach. The 23 study in 2017-2018 indicated that the leading modules that comprised the 3-unit subject was disciplinary cases were tardiness (39%) titled as “Personal-Social Responsibility and and absenteeism (22%), while the common Wellness” (PSRW), which aims to inculcate life causes of dropouts and withdrawal were skills among students that are necessary to financial problems (25%), health problems help them handle the challenges and demands (37.5%), and family problems (31.35%). Also, of college life. The course teaches necessary students who sought counseling services coping skills in order to successfully survive reported health-related issues (66%) and in their academic pursuit and in their life family concerns (19%). outside the university. Within a semester of its Carol Ryff’s (1989) model of PWB provides first implementation, it underwent expert and a robust framework through which one pilot validation which resulted to a series of can analyze and organize one’s life, and revisions of the course material and later in can generate ideas about how to live the merging and reduction of topics totaling better (Mansuri, 2017). Ryff formulated a to 19 modules. Teachers who handled the theory-based psychological well-being scale subject were oriented and trained in a 3-day (PWBS) noted for eudaimonic components seminar-workshop during the Summer of 2018 of happiness which captured various on how to deliver the modules. perspectives in one measurement model Gustems-Carnicer and Calderon (2013) 60 Cabrera, Daya, and Echague JEHRD Vol.8, 2020 pointed out that copings are positively related Methodology to students’ PWB. Equipping students with coping strategies and life skills may lower Research Design anxiety, increase positive mood and academic performance. Given these notions, this study The research was undertaken using is conceptualized to validate the effectiveness ex-post facto and predictive-cross sectional of PSRW module in inculcating coping and life approaches. To ascertain the validity or skills among students. effectiveness of the course module, an ex-post facto research was performed. Ex Conceptual Framework post facto research examines the effects of the modules to the college students Figure 1 summarizes the conceptual who have undertaken the subject through framework of the study. The current study comparison of their pre-test and post-test is the second phase of an earlier study results. Hence, a one-group-within-subject which served as the basis for the formulation, research design was made. Meanwhile, to development, and design of the module for the examine which among the socio-demographic subject Personal-Social Responsibility and variables of the participants predict their Wellness (PSRW). The previous study was PWB, a predictive-cross sectional analysis initially carried out to address the common was conducted. It intends to predict or issues reported at the university’s Guidance, forecast some events or phenomena in the Counseling, and Testing Center. With the aim future (without regard for cause and effect) of ensuring that the psychological wellness from data that were collected from research modules are addressing the needs of the participants at a single point in time or during students, this study is conceptualized to a single, relatively brief period (Johnson, validate the developed materials. Literature 2001). (e.g., Darei, 2012) shows that evidence-based prevention and intervention programs are Participants necessary to mend the psychological and social functioning of students. Pre-tests and Since the PSRW course was integrated in post-tests were conducted prior and after the the first year of all new college curricula, implementation of the module in one semester this study included only first-year students. which formed an ex-post facto research. In During the second semester of academic addition, predictive cross-sectional analysis year 2018-2019, there was a total of 1, was performed to know the determinants of 387 enrollees (997 enrollees from