The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of reality therapy group counseling on learned helplessness and academic self-efficacy of elementary school underachievers. In order to achieve this purpose, the following hypothesis was created and...
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of reality therapy group counseling on learned helplessness and academic self-efficacy of elementary school underachievers. In order to achieve this purpose, the following hypothesis was created and it's results were analyzed.
1. Do the reality therapy group counseling effect on decrease of the elementary school underachievers's learned helplessness?
2. Do the reality therapy group counseling effect on increase of the elementary school underachievers's academic self-efficacy?
The subjects of this study were 20 elementary school underachievers of the 4th grade(experimental group:10, control group:10) at G elementary school in Suwon. After the pre-tests, the reality therapy group counseling was treated 10 times for 3 weeks to experimental group, but not to control group. After the program, the post-tests were simultaneously administered for both groups.
The program for experimental group was "I'm Learning to be Happy" developed by Sullo, L. A and Sullo, R. A(1990) adapted by Kim In Ja, and used in this study after I reorganized the program by considering of literature for 4th grade underachievers. The measurements of this study were the Learned Helplessness Test developed by Sin Ki Myoung(1990) and translated by Lee Young Sun(1997) for being suitable for the elementary school students, the Academic Self-efficacy Test developed and validated by Kim Ah Young and Park In Young(2001) and partially adjusted by Kim Sung Ok(2003).
The results were analysed by SPSSwin 12.0.
The results were as followings;
First, the reality therapy group counseling had the positive effect on the decrease of the elementary school underachievers's learned helplessness. The scores of experimental group were significantly lower than those of control group in the lack of self confidence, the depression-negative cognition, the passivity, the lack of control, the lack of persistence, the lack of ostentation, and the lack of responsibility.
Second, the reality therapy group counseling had the positive effect on the increase of the elementary school underachievers's academic self-efficacy. The scores of experimental group were significantly higher than those of control group in self-confidence, task difficulty preference, however, not in self-regulatory efficacy.
In conclusion, the reality therapy group counseling had the positive effect on the learned helplessness and academic self-efficacy. Thus, this program will support the decrease of the elementary school underachievers's learned helplessness as well as the increase of the academic self-efficacy. In order to more generalize the reality therapy group counseling hereafter, the further study on developing a program and examination tool, subjects and the period of application, restricting variables.