Evaluation of Training Based on a Program for Improving Teamwork Competency From the Viewpoint of a Hierarchical Structure of Social Skills: Female University Students

Abstract

The purposes of the present study were to conduct a training program based on a hierarchical structure of social skills that was aimed at improving female university students' teamwork competency, and to evaluate effects of the training. The participants were third-year and higher level students at women's universities in the Tokyo area who were taking lecture or seminar courses on interpersonal communication and related topics. Initially, the students were given training in communication ability, a basic skill. After that, the students were trained in more advanced skills, specifically, team orientation and backup abilities. Those students (N＝53; average age approximately 20 years) whose questionnaire responses were complete were included in the final analysis. Effects of the program were evaluated by means of an effectiveness measurement scale with content that corresponded to the content of the training program. The results suggested that both encoding and decoding skills, which are sub-skills within communication abilities, improved after the training, compared to a non-training condition. Among the team-oriented and backup abilities, only harmonizing skills, which are a sub-skill of team-oriented abilities, improved significantly. No significant change was found in the other sub-skills of team-oriented and backup abilities. However, performance guidance and problem-solving skills, which are sub-skills within other advanced skills associated with leadership ability, improved even though no training was provided in those areas. In general, the participants' communication abilities improved after they had participated in the training program. Further research should be done on the effects on advanced skills of training basic skills, from the viewpoint of a hierarchical skill structure.