The effect of an existential educational self-awareness intervention on self-awareness in college students

Research has indicated that the development of self-actualization (or existential awareness) contributes to an individual's psychological well-being and that increasing self-actualization and existentiality increased life satisfaction and the ability to manage stress. Additionally, previous research has demonstrated the effectiveness of the educational model for various psychological interventions. However, it is difficult to determine from the existing literature whether self-actualization can be taught. Therefore, based on existential humanistic theory, the purpose of this research was to examine the effectiveness of an educational model of existential intervention as a means of increasing existentiality (EX) and self-actualization (SA) in first-year college students. The experimental design employed a convenience sample of 118 community college volunteers who were randomly assigned to the comparison group that participated in a study skills seminar, or the experimental group that participated in an existential self-awareness seminar. Levels of EX and SA were assessed using the corresponding subscales of the Personal Orientation Inventory (POI). Baseline POI assessment was followed by12 one-hour seminar sessions that met twice weekly for 6 weeks and concluded with the POI posttest. The data were analyzed using a mixed ANOVA with repeated measures of time, gender, and group. Findings from this research demonstrated no significant change between the pre and posttest levels of EX and SA for either group or gender, leading to the conclusion that the complexity of affecting EX and SA may not be possible within the constraints of a time-limited college course. This research was a critical contribution to the literature and informs social change initiatives of educators and psychology professionals seeking to design interventions that target change in complex phenomena.