Journaling your challenges: mechanisms of resilience journals to support German first-semester business students during their transition to university

Abstract

Transition to university can be challenging, but writing interventions can be a helpful way of supporting first-semester students. Why these interventions are effective is still not fully understood, however. To explore the underlying mechanisms, two versions of a resilience journal were used in this study. They were designed to either broaden attention toward all challenges or to prime students’ attention to successfully mastered challenges. It was hypothesized that priming toward mastery is more effective but that both versions would increase students’ resilience and satisfaction. Hypotheses were tested in a pre-post design with 62 first-semester students randomly filling out one of the two versions for 6 weeks. The outcomes were compared to students without an intervention, and journal entries were analyzed for challenges and coping strategies. A content analysis of the journal entries revealed that most challenges were directly related to university. Problem-focused coping strategies were most often used to address challenges. Both intervention groups showed a decrease in life satisfaction during the first 6 weeks of university, but the intervention designed to broaden attention was more effective in mitigating this decrease. The same intervention was also more advantageous in promoting students’ resilience. The results highlight the vulnerability of students during their transition to university and the potential of writing interventions that include reflection on all challenges.