Evaluation of a workshop to reduce negative perceptions of statistics in undergraduate psychology students

Abstract

The authors evaluated whether a brief group workshop that combined psycho-education and learning strategies improved self-efficacy, attitudes, and anxiety regarding statistics in psychology students. The workshop was completed in Week 1 of a compulsory 1st-year psychology statistics course. Prior to the workshop, the attendees (n = 10) did not differ from the non-attending control group (n = 17) on statistics self-efficacy, attitudes, or anxiety. These measures were re-assessed after the workshop near the end of semester (Week 10). Workshop attendance resulted in significantly higher self-efficacy, computational self-concept, and attitudes regarding the worth of statistics, and less fear of statistics teachers. It did not change statistics anxiety. Participants evaluated the workshop as useful, especially the information on effective learning strategies. The results demonstrate that a brief and cost-effective group intervention can improve self-efficacy and attitudes regarding statistics. Improvements to better target anxiety are discussed.