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
Hammig, Bart J.
Committee Member
Mink, Edward
Second Committee Member
Gray, Michelle
Third Committee Member
Gorman, Dean R.
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.
Citation
Morgan, A. J. (2015). The Efficacy of an Eight-Week Undergraduate Course in Resilience. Graduate Theses and Dissertations Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/1329