Enhancing Self-Esteem in Classroom Language Learning: The Potential of Implementing a Strength-Based Positive Psychology Intervention at Higher Education

Mehry Haddad Narafshan,Samieh Noori

doi:10.22437/ijolte.v2i3.5593

Abstract

Since positive psychology (PP) is a nascent area of research, there are very few empirical studies assessing the impact of positive psychology interventions. Accordingly, this article reports on a quantitative study concerning the use of a positive psychology intervention to develop learners’ self-esteem in the context of higher education in the English as a foreign language (EFL) sector in Iran. Data was collected during the academic year 2016–2017 from a university in Iran using Cooper Smith (1967, 1981) Self Esteem Inventory Adult Form (CSEI-A) , a self-report questionnaire, as the instrument and administering it before and after a TEFL master course. Thirty six university students participated in a five-month long quasi-experimental study. The current study’s primary aim was to investigate in detail the potential of PP intervention for supporting the self-esteem progress in the context in question. The study showed a statistically significant improvement in the self-esteem of the participants in the experimental group after completing the course suggesting positive paths from positive psychology to understanding the strengths, and managing the weaknesses effectively. The encouraging results from this program suggest new avenues for approaching the change of self-esteem.

Highlights

Positive psychology, a branch of research within the field of psychology, studies the conditions and experiences involved in human flourishing (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000)
The present study was conducted with the main goal of exploring the effect of positive psychology on English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ self-esteem
Regarding the research question – What effects can positive psychology have on EFL learners’ self-esteem – the results of this study presented in tables 1 & 2 demonstrate that the positive psychology intervention used helped EFL learners understand and build on their strengths and manage their weaknesses in a way that increased their self-esteem

Summary

Introduction

A branch of research within the field of psychology, studies the conditions and experiences involved in human flourishing (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). MEHRY HADDAD NARAFSHAN, SAMIEH NOORI has recently gained attention and shown considerable growth in the realms of research, practice, and change In educational settings, this popularity has generated the domain of “positive education”— a recently growing trend in educational research that aims to merge positive psychology principles with educational practices to increase learners' well-being (Seligman, Ernst, Gillham, Reivich, & Linkins, 2009). Higher education is an important and specialized form of human capital, which can cause public growth (Diener & Patterson, 2011). In a word, both positive psychology and positive education seek to promote general well-being, life satisfaction and meaning across a broad spectrum from individuals to institutions’ global life. The main consequence of the application of PP to education is to create a fresh learning climate in class where individual learners can use the shared information according to their own talents and views (Hayes, 2006; Hurlock, 1925; Muscott, Mann and LeBrun, 2008).; the second principle, which is at least as crucial as the first, is to promote a climate at educational settings that will foster intellectual, emotional and physical “wellbeing” in students; so as to prevent the potential academic and general problems before they occur or reoccur (Gilman, Huebner, & Furlong, 2009; Martin, Seligman, Ernst, Gillham, Reivich & Linkins, 2009; Murray,2003)

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