Transcript Charting a Life Course: Fostering student development through an

Life Skills: An Academic Approach
to Promoting Student Development
Pam Viele
Kristen McKinney
Student Development
University of California, Los Angeles
March 15, 2007
Session Overview
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Identify audience goals
Background of course
Overview of course curriculum
Examination of data
Discussion
Profile of UCLA Undergraduates and
their Mental Health

At entry (Source: CIRP 2006)
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46.8% report feeling depressed “occasionally”
or “frequently” in the past year
86.7% report feeling “overwhelmed by all I
have to do” at least occasionally in the past
year
53.3% anticipate that there is “some” or a
“very good chance” that they will seek
personal counseling while in college
Profile of UCLA Undergraduates and
their Mental Health

During college (Source: 2006 Student
Development Student Survey)

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
83.7% report finding balancing life demands
“very” or “moderately” stressful.
23.7% report that they balance life demands
“not very well” or “poorly.”
14.0% reported that emotional distress
“frequently” interfered with schoolwork
Mental Health Care Seeking

13.7% of Undergraduates report having
sought mental health consultation in the
past year (2006 SD Student Survey)

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8.1% On Campus
3.2% Outside Provider
2.5% Both
Impetus for Life Skills
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Evidence of increasing stress, mental
health concerns
Effects of social integration and emotional
intelligence on persistence, retention and
ability to manage change & transition
History of Life Skills
Designed to assist undergraduates in
navigating the developmental challenges
of the college years.
Three Primary Outcome Domains

Stress, Coping, & Emotion Regulation
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Identity Development

Interpersonal Relationships &
Communication
Individual Learning Outcomes
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Understand the relationships between cognitive, social, and emotional
competence, and use this knowledge to act in ways that promote effective
functioning and healthy development.
Demonstrate the ability to effectively use various skills and techniques to
manage stress in a healthy manner and promote positive well-being.
Understand the relationships between the developmental inputs that shape
your identity and the developmental experiences that influence schemas,
thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and use this knowledge to act in ways
that are congruent with your personal identity and goals.
Understand how communication styles impact varying cultural and
interpersonal contexts and relationships.
Demonstrate an understanding of different communication skills and
techniques in order to more effectively manage your interpersonal
relationships.
Environmental Level Outcomes
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
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Imbed students in healthy sustainable
social networks
Provide proactive context for identifying
vulnerable students and fortifying their
safety nets
Reach critical mass so that population
wide effects can occur
Life Skills Pedagogy
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4 unit academic course; meets 2x week for
1hr 50 min
Pedagogy: discussion, individual & group
exercises, writing and reading assignments,
“situated in learner’s experience”
Instructor is a “facilitator” not “expert”
Assignments
% Grade

Assignment 1 Presentation – Stress & Coping
15%

Assignment 2 Presentation – Identity Development
15%

Assignment 3 Paper - Communication
15%

Final Reflection Paper
15%

8 Weekly Experience Logs
15%

Attendance & Participation
25%
Outcomes Assessment

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Pre-Post test design
Administered to all students


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Will focus on data from 05-06 AY
Overall response rate = 67%
N=363
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64.5% female
43.4% transfer
Significance evaluated at the 99% confidence
level (p<.01)
Stress and Coping
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Increase:
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Coping skills work well for me
Have healthy strategies for relieving stress
Have critical thinking skills necessary to solve
problems
Frequency felt at peace/centered
Decrease:
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Have to rely on self
Unable to successfully cope with change
Dwell on feelings
Academic Year 05-06 Data
RAND Mental Health Scales
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Increase:
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Overall Mental Health Index
Psychological Wellbeing
Positive Affect
Decrease:


Psychological Distress
Depression
Academic Year 05-06 Data
Identity Development
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Increase:
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Important to be knowledgeable about cultural
differences
Have friends who are different from me (ethnicity,
sexual orientation, religion, etc.)
Dynamics in my family have shaped my development
Able to challenge aspects of my upbringing not
supportive of my wellbeing
Have what it takes to succeed at UCLA
Can handle academic demands at UCLA
Academic Year 05-06 Data
Communication and Relationships
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Increase:
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Confident communicating with others
Comfortable communicating about sex
Able to communicate needs in a romantic
relationship
When upset, can articulate what is bothering
me
Have skills to communicate needs to others
Academic Year 05-06 Data
Communication and Relationships:
Developing Community
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Increase:
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Easy for me to develop new friendships
Easy to make new friends at UCLA
Decrease:
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Often anxious about meeting new people
Academic Year 05-06 Data
Communication and Relationships:
Intergroup Dialogue
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Increase:
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Confident communicating with people different from
me
Confident in ability to address difficult
situations/concerns with others
Frequency had in-depth conversations with:
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Students of a different race/ethnicity
Students with differing political/religious views or values
Frequency tried to see issue from another’s
perspective
Academic Year 05-06 Data
Future Assessment Steps
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Control Group for Quantitative
Qualitative Aspects
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Self-Authorship study planned for 07-08
Permission to use student reflective
papers/journals as documents for qualitative
analysis of change during the quarter
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Possibly pair with additional follow-up in
subsequent quarters
Student Voices
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This was the most the most valuable class I’ve ever taken
at UCLA. Everyone who goes into this class comes out a
better version of themselves. Healthier, more focused,
more mature and better able to communicate, face daily
stressors and face life responsibilities.
The most useful class I have taken here at UCLA. I feel
more prepared to handle the outside world and be
successful in it. I thought college was supposed to prepare
me for the real world, this class did. Thank you for
teaching this class and giving me the tools I need in the
real world.
I learned so much this quarter about others and myself.
Questions?