Improving Academic Self-Efficacy, School Connectedness, and Identity in Struggling Middle School Girls: A Preliminary Study of the "REAL Girls" Program

Autor/inn/en	Mann, Michael J.; Smith, Megan L.; Kristjansson, Alfgeir L.
Titel	Improving Academic Self-Efficacy, School Connectedness, and Identity in Struggling Middle School Girls: A Preliminary Study of the "REAL Girls" Program
Quelle	In: Health Education & Behavior, 42 (2015) 1, S.117-126 (10 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1090-1981
DOI	10.1177/1090198114543005
Schlagwörter	Middle School Students; Females; Self Efficacy; Student School Relationship; Self Concept; Intervention; Statistical Analysis; Qualitative Research; Outcomes of Education; Academic Achievement; Academic Failure; Mixed Methods Research; Resilience (Psychology); Quasiexperimental Design; Focus Groups; Program Evaluation; Measures (Individuals); At Risk Students + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Middle school; Middle schools; Student; Students; Mittelschule; Mittelstufenschule; Schüler; Schülerin; Weibliches Geschlecht; Self-efficacy; Selbstwirksamkeit; Schüler-Lehrer-Beziehung; Selbstkonzept; Statistische Analyse; Qualitative Forschung; Lernleistung; Schulerfolg; Schulleistung; Programme evaluation; Programmevaluation; Messdaten
Abstract	Girls struggling to be successful in middle school are often dealing with negative life experiences that affect their ability to achieve academically. Frequently, their academic failures and problem behaviors are associated with feeling overwhelmed by difficult and challenging life circumstances. In the absence of intervention, these patterns may contribute to girls chronically underperforming in school, dropping out of school, and becoming involved in delinquent and high-risk behaviors. This article describes a quasi-experimental, mixed-methods study of the "REAL Girls" program. "REAL Girls" was designed to help struggling middle school girls develop resilience--particularly academic self-efficacy, school connectedness, and identity--and achieve successful outcomes in school and life. In this study, using a crossover design, 48 girls identified as experiencing academic failure, school behavior problems, or truancy participated in one of two implementations of this 3-day intervention. Findings based on both quantitative and qualitative data suggest that "REAL Girls" contributed to positive increases in academic self-efficacy, school connectedness, and identity. Repeated measures analysis of variance and paired t tests suggest significant increases in each outcome variable, both immediately after program delivery and 2 weeks later, and effect size estimates suggest moderate to large program impact. Focus groups conducted 90 days after implementation of the program confirmed the quantitative findings and support the efficacy of the "REAL Girls" program and approach. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01