Causal attribution and affective response as mediated by task performance and self-acceptance

Comparison of Two Approaches to Enhance Self-Esteem and Self-Acceptance in Chinese College Students: Psychoeducational Lecture vs. Group Intervention

Objective

Self-esteem and self-acceptance are not only basic features but also influential factors of mental health. The present study aimed at assessing the effects of psychoeducational lecture and group intervention on self-esteem and self-acceptance in Chinese college students.

Methods

A total of 149 Chinese college students who participated in a mental health course were randomly class-based assigned into the psychoeducational lecture group (n = 62) and the self-focused intervention group (n = 87). The lecture group received 6-session psychoeducational lectures on overview of mental health, campus adaptation, stress adjustment, self-understanding, emotion management, and interpersonal relationships. The self-focused intervention group was treated with self-related group activities involving aspects of self-knowledge, self-feeling, and self-regulation for six sessions. Pre- and post-intervention measurements were taken with Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Self-Acceptance Questionnaire for both groups.

Results

Self-esteem significantly increased in both groups after six sessions. However, the enhancement of self-acceptance was more robust for the self-focused intervention group than the psychoeducational lecture group.

Conclusion

The psychoeducational lecture and self-focused intervention were effective approaches to improve self-esteem for Chinese college students. With respect to self-acceptance, self-focused group intervention might have a more prominent effect.

ATHLETES' ATTRIBUTIONS FOR TEAM PERFORMANCE: A THEORETICAL TEST ACROSS SPORTS AND GENDERS

This study investigated reasons that men and women college athletes gave for their teams' performances. Different predictions drawn from ego-serving bias theory (Miller & Ross, 1975), self-esteem theory (Dittes, 1959; Jones, 1973), and cognitive consistency theory (Festinger, 1957; Heider, 1958) were tested. Across three studies, men and women basketball players, and men football players responded to a measure of self-esteem and an attribution measure of internality/externality following team wins and losses. Results across the studies provided strong support for ego-serving bias theory. However, gender differences were observed in that the ego-serving tendency to internalize wins to a greater extent than losses was not significantly present for women basketball players as compared to men basketball and football players. Additionally, results provided partial support for cognitive consistency theory, while failing to support self-esteem theory.