“Developing Targeted Interventions to Enhance Emotional Competence and Promote Mastery-Oriented Goals for Academic Success and Adaptation among First-Generation Students”
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17720/04dbaz27Keywords:
first-generation students, emotional competence, mastery-oriented goals, academic success, intervention studyAbstract
Background: First-generation students face unique challenges in academic adjustment, including difficulties with emotional regulation and goal setting. Emotional competence and mastery-oriented goals are crucial for their success.
Objectives: This study aimed to develop and evaluate targeted interventions to enhance emotional competence and promote mastery-oriented goals among first-generation students.
Methods: A quasi-experimental design was employed with 160 undergraduate participants divided into intervention and control groups. The intervention consisted of an 8-week emotional competence training program. Pre- and post-test assessments measured emotional competence, mastery-oriented goals, academic performance, and adaptation. Data were analyzed using t-tests, and regression analysis.
Results: The intervention group showed significant improvements in emotional competence (M = 60.2, SD = 7.1, p < 0.01) and mastery-oriented goals (M = 52.1, SD = 6.2, p < 0.01) compared to the control group. Regression analysis indicated that emotional competence (β = 0.46) and mastery-oriented goals (β = 0.33) were significant predictors of academic performance and adaptation. The intervention led to sustained improvements in GPA (M = 3.5, SD = 0.4, p < 0.05) and emotional adjustment (M = 57.2, SD = 6.3, p < 0.05) at follow-up.
Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that targeted interventions can significantly enhance emotional competence and mastery-oriented goals among first-generation students, leading to improved academic adaptation and success. Future research should expand participant demographics and explore the scalability of these interventions.
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