Effect of Positive Affirmations on the Academic Self-Efficacy, Self-Esteem, and Personal Wellbeing of High School Students

Abstract

Mental health issues such as stress, anxiety, and depression are common among university students and can have a negative impact on academic performance and personal well-being. Interventions such as positive affirmations, meditation, and mood charting have shown promise in improving mental health outcomes. However, there is a lack of research exploring the effects of a combined intervention on self-esteem, academic self-efficacy, and personal well-being among university students. This study aimed to fill this gap in the literature by examining the effects of a 4-week combined intervention on these outcomes. The present study investigated the effectiveness of a positive psychology intervention consisting of positive affirmations, meditation, and mood charting on self-esteem, academic self-efficacy, and personal well-being among college students. A pre-test, post-test experimental design was used, with 60 participants randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n=30) or the control group (n=30). The experimental group received the positive psychology intervention for six weeks, while the control group did not receive any intervention. Results indicated a significant increase in self-esteem, academic self-efficacy, and personal well-being among the experimental group compared to the control group. Specifically, the experimental group showed a mean increase of 2.85 in self-esteem, 2.95 in academic self-efficacy, and 3.20 in personal well-being, while the control group showed a mean increase of 0.30 in self-esteem, 0.35 in academic self-efficacy, and 0.25 in personal well-being. These findings suggest that positive psychology interventions may be a valuable tool for promoting positive outcomes in high school students. The present study provides evidence for the effectiveness of a positive psychology intervention consisting of positive affirmations, meditation, and mood charting on self-esteem, academic self-efficacy, and personal well-being among school students. Additionally, the limitations of the study are acknowledged, including the small sample size and the lack of long-term follow-up. Further research is needed to replicate these findings with larger and more diverse samples and to examine the long-term effects of positive psychology interventions on college students.