Date of Graduation

12-2015

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Community Health Promotion (PhD)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Health, Human Performance and Recreation

Advisor/Mentor

Bart Hammig

Committee Member

Ed Mink

Second Committee Member

Michelle Gray

Third Committee Member

Dean Gorman

Keywords

Education, Assertiveness, Resilience, Well-being

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to measure the efficacy of an 8-week undergraduate

course in resilience. Finding useful strategies to understand how college students manage stress

and adversity is important to college administrators. The main topics that were assessed were

resilience, well-being, and assertiveness. Participants for this study included undergraduate

students enrolled either in a 8-week course on Resilience or a Public Health course. The

Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Questionnaire for Eudaimonic Well-Being, and the Simple

Rathus Assertiveness Scale were used to determine the efficacy of the 8-week course. Overall,

there was not a significant difference in resilience and well-being, but there was a significant

difference for the topic of assertiveness. There was a significant difference among genders, with

males reporting higher means in resilience and assertiveness than females at the end of the

course. There was also a significant difference between students who are affiliated with a Greek

organization with being a member of a Greek organization resulting in lower means for

resilience, well-being, and assertiveness. In qualitative analyses performed after completion of

the course it was found that the class was helpful in teaching students breathing and other

techniques to help them manage their stress. This study provided insight into some methods that

can be implemented with college students to help them learn to deal with the stresses and

adversities that they will face in their lives. The hope of this research is that it will serve as a

guide to college health educators and administrators that resilience programming and education

is a vital necessity that will lead to healthier and happier students who graduate.

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