Background: Institutions have developed a variety of first-year seminars with demonstrated success. However, there is a lack of research on positive psychology first-year seminars. Positive psychology courses have been shown to increase student wellbeing, stress management, and other positive outcomes. Thus, the purpose of this study is to pilot a positive psychology first-year seminar to aid in first year students' adjustment and wellbeing.
Hypotheses/Research Questions: It is hypothesized students in the positive psychology first-year seminar will experience enhanced positive emotions, life satisfaction, resilience, hope, meaning in life, and academic satisfaction, and decreased anxiety, depression, and stress compared to students in other introductory-level psychology courses.
Sample Characteristics and Sample Size: Forty-one college students from the Midwest United States are currently enrolled in the study. The students in the positive psychology course are first year students. Those in the comparison group are students currently enrolled in Introduction to Psychology or Developmental Psychology, which are introductory-level classes. Data collection will be complete in early May.
Design: The first year seminar is taught synchronously (i.e., live over Zoom). The course focuses on positive psychology, positive behavior change, and diversity and inclusivity. In addition to the lecture content, students complete two activities per week related to the topics discussed (e.g., random acts of kindness).
Results: A mixed-design ANOVA will be used to analyze change over time (pre- and post-test) between two groups (intervention and comparison groups). Change over time will be analyzed on: positive emotions, life satisfaction, resilience, hope, strengths use, meaning in life, stress, depression, anxiety, and academic satisfaction.
Scientific Contribution: First-year students commonly report loneliness, homesickness, and interpersonal conflict. Furthermore, the college transition has been associated with increased stress and mental health concerns. A first year seminar on positive psychology could help provide coping and prevention strategies, thus enhancing the student experience.