Module 1: I love the “dump bucket” where you just write everything down and let it go! That is an amazing tool. I’ve slept many good nights after doing this!

Module 2 and 4: I learned that “people skills” are useful even if people are generally annoying.

Module 3: How negative thoughts produce negative outcomes.

Module 5: I learned “to be kind” and “grateful” is a strength, not only a part of one’s personality. I learned that in order to have a bright future, you need to build it and work on it. It doesn’t happen by chance.

Module 6: I enjoyed the “artwork” describing me – it helped me reflect on what I spent the most time on.

What was the most unique thing you learned that you could not have learned otherwise?

• Preliminary evidence supports the notion of academic well-being. As students develop the other areas of their lives, their academic performance improves.

• There are both immediate and long-term benefits from resiliency training.

• Goal setting and strengths training remained the most often used skills after 9–15 months. The ABCs and network modules dropped significantly from initial training levels suggesting these are more difficult areas to master.

• Grades did increase, even when co-varied with GPA (in fall, 2011), and students reported using many of the new skills learned even 9–15 months later after the seminars.

• Resilience developed over time. Students reported that they were more resilient 9–15 months after training than at the conclusion of the seminars. This change was statistically significant and a primary goal of this project!

Summary of Findings

Fall, 2011 (n=13); Spring, 2012 (n=12); Follow-up 2013 (n=11) No results for 2014 because researcher was on FIL and FMLA leave.Scale (1=low; 5=high); *Statistically Significant at p=.05

*

Student Evaluations afterthe final seminar and follow-up in 2013

Long Term-Results

Fall, 2011: Spring, 2012:

Control Group 2.38 Control Group 2.50Experimental Group 3.36* Experimental Group 3.00

*Statistically Significant at .05, co-varied with GPA, p=.05

Immediate ResultsIntervention: The Becoming Awesome Resiliency Seminar SeriesIntervention: The Becoming Awesome Resiliency Seminar Series

1: Willpower - goal setting, combatting procrastination and its rationalizations, and 1: Willpower - goal setting, combatting procrastination and its rationalizations, and mind sweeping.mind sweeping.

2: So you want to be an expert? – the science behind expertise and what you need to 2: So you want to be an expert? – the science behind expertise and what you need to do to achieve that goal.do to achieve that goal.

3. The ABCs of resiliency – unpacking your emotional responses to triggers and 3. The ABCs of resiliency – unpacking your emotional responses to triggers and thinking traps.thinking traps.

4. The networks of experts – using social network theory to discover how the most 4. The networks of experts – using social network theory to discover how the most successful and innovative individuals build their professional networks.successful and innovative individuals build their professional networks.

5. Well-being and strengths – the science behind happiness and using your signature 5. Well-being and strengths – the science behind happiness and using your signature character strengths.character strengths.

6. Life crafting – viewing your life with a different perspective and discover “your best 6. Life crafting – viewing your life with a different perspective and discover “your best self.”self.”

7. Gratitude and savoring – techniques to support yourself and others.7. Gratitude and savoring – techniques to support yourself and others.

This study makes a case for better educating our students. Rather than focusing on academic achievement as our end goal, this study suggests that education might be better served by adopting academic well-being approach to educating students.

The new model of academic well-being (AWB) proposes six elements – emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, control, and mastery – are necessary for students to thrive academically.

A new seminar series, BECOMING AWESOME: THE RESILIENCY SEMINAR SERIES,” was developed as a way to promote AWB. It was taught to “at risk” students in introductory accounting. The seminar series included 7 weekly 75 minuter sessions designed to help students improve goal-setting, expertise, responses to adversity, networking, focus, and responses to others. The resiliency training series yielded both immediate and long-term benefits for its participants.

Abstract

The Surprising Benefits of Resiliency Training

Marsha Huber, Associate Professor of Accounting

Youngstown State University– Williamson College of Business