The effect of social cognitive theory based group psychoeducation program on the self-regulated learning skills and academic achievement of high school students

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to design a group psychoeducation program based on social cognitive theory to improve the self-regulated learning skills of high school students and to examine the effect of this program on the students' self-regulated learning skills and academic achievement. This research is a quasi-experimental study in which the pre-test, post-test and follow-up test results of the experimental and control groups are compared. A total of 32 volunteer students from an Anatolian High School in Turkey were randomly assigned to the experimental (n:16) or control group (n:16). The research data were obtained with personal information form and Self-regulated Learning Skills Scale. In the study, participants in the experimental group were included in an eight session psychoeducation program, while the control group was not included in any program. A psychoeducational program was applied to the students in the experimental group, with sessions held once a week for 60 minutes. A posttest was conducted following the completion of the group sessions, and a follow-up test was administered four months later to both groups. Analysis of variance (Anova), analysis of covariance (Ancova), t-test for related and independent samples were used to analyse the study data. As a result of the study, it was found that the group psychoeducation programme applied to the experimental group was effective in developing students' self-regulatory learning skills and this effect continued in the follow-up test. It was also found to be effective in increasing academic achievement. The results reveal that a group psychoeducation program based on social cognitive theory can be used to develop high school students' self-regulation skills and increase their academic success.