The effectiveness of group psychotherapy and study skills training on academic achievement of Mexican American freshmen

This study was primarily designed to investigate the effectiveness of a combination of group psychotherapy (behavioral skills training), study skills training and tutoring on the academic achievement of provisionally admitted Mexican American college freshmen. The dependent variable was grade point average (GPA) for the Fall 1980 semester. The principle research hypothesis was that the combined effects of group psychotherapy, study skills training, and tutoring would significantly improve GPA.

At Texas Tech University, an applicant who does not qualify for admission under regular freshmen admission guidelines may be admitted on provisional status. Students admitted provisionally are those who do not meet the following entrance requirements: High School Rank of second quartile and SAT composite score of 800 or better or ACT composite score of 19 or better; High School Rank of third quartile and SAT composite score of 900 or better or ACT composite score of 21 or better; or High School Rank of fourth quartile and SAT composite score of 1000 or better or ACT composite score of 23 or better.

The subjects were a sample taken from approximately 9 0 first semester Mexican American male and female students of 18 to 21 years of age who were admitted to Texas Tech University on provisional status during the Fall 1980 semester. An additional sample of provisionally admitted subjects was selected from students who were matriculated for the Fall 1979 semester and who participated in Special Services. Potential treatment subjects were contacted by phone or in person during a Summer 1980 Early Registration Conference. Thirty-one students volunteered initially to participate in the Combined Instructional Activities Program (CIAP). The treatment group subjects (n=19) were matched on the variables of high school rank, gender, and college of enrollment with other provisionally admitted students who were also interested in participating in the CIAP but who could not do so due to schedule problems. This latter group constituted the matched control group. At the end of the Fall 198 0 semester, four groups (matched control, n=19; no contact control, n=23; attrition from CIAP control, n=12; Fall 19 7 9 control, n=271 were compared to the treatment group on academic achievement and retention.

The treatment group subjects met for a total of 21 hours of group psychotherapy and study skills training. However, only a small number of the treatment subjects availed themselves of tutoring and mathematics/English lab instruction.

Due to the lack of experimental control for extraneous variation among the experimental groups, an analysis of covariance which controlled for the effects of verbal ability, performance on the Basic English Essentials Test, and financial aid was used to test for the effects of the CIAP on the academic achievement of the treatment subjects as measured by the dependent variable, GPA. Chi-Square analyses were utilized to test for differences between the treatment group and the other experimental groups on retention as measured by the number of students who matriculated for the Spring 1981 semester.

The results indicated that the CIAP did not affect significantly the GPA of provisionally admitted Mexican American freshmen over one semester nor did it affect significantly their attrition across semesters. Either the treatment was not powerful enough or the possible insensitivity of the dependent variable, GPA, could account for the failure to statistically reflect differences between the groups over one semester. However, the differences in GPA between the treatment and the matched control and the attrition from CIAP control groups were in the predicted direction. Further, the CIAP was shown to be effective in facilitating adjustment to the university environment. The treatment subject's evaluations of the CIAP were positive and offered support to the notion that th.e CIAP may have been a worthwhile endeavor for the students.

Statistical trends revealed by the analysis of covariance indicated that financial aid and student performance on the BEET test may have affected their GPA's. Contrary to the popular belief that low SES may negatively affect the academic achievement of Mexican Americans, the results of this research suggested the opposite effects at least for the no contact control group. Additionally, the performance on the BEET test of matched control group and attrition from CIAP control group students indicated a negative correlation with their first semester GPA.

The secondary intent of this research, that is, the examination of the effectiveness of the CIAP over one semester and the improvement and/or revision of the CIAP was discussed. Based on positive student evaluations of the CIAP, the CIAP did have merit as a treatment strategy to facilitate adjustment to the university environment. A recommendation that provisionally admitted students be introduced to upper level United Mexican American Student Organization members or past CIAP participants to help in this adjustment has been made. In order to establish the CIAP's effectiveness as a treatment strategy for academic achievement a recommendation has been made that this study be replicated and that observations on GPA for all groups be extended for more than one semester. An additional recommendation was that the academic advisement component of the CIAP be initiated during the summer orientation conference for incoming freshmen. Further recommendations were that the tutoring component be expanded to provide free tutoring to all provisionally admitted students, that the mathematics/ English labs be centralized to maximize their utilization, and that the assertion training be presented earlier in the sequence of activities.