The Effect of Self-Growth Group Program on Middle School Students' Self-Esteem and Learning Motivation

Objectives The purpose of this study is to verify the effects of the self-growth group program reconstructed based on previous studies on middle school students' self-esteem and learning motivation. Methods For this purpose, a preliminary test was conducted on the first-year students at D Middle School in J-do Township, Based on the results of the pre-test, two classes were divided into an experimental group and a control group, and one class in the experimental group was administered a reconstructed self-growth program. After the treatment, the levels of self-esteem and learning motivation between the experimental group and the control group was examined, and The t-test was conducted to determine differences between groups and within groups in the level of change in the dependent variable. In addition, through the analysis of qualitative data collected from the experimental group, the factors of change in the dependent variable were investigated. Results The results of the analysis are as follows. First, the self-growth group program was found to have a significant effect on the improving of middle school students' self-esteem and learning motivation. Second, the changes in self-esteem and learning motivation reveled in the qualitative data analysis could be categorized into seven factors: process individual goal achievement, interaction with group members, face with unfamiliar selves, self-understanding through acceptance of others, new attempts, reconciliation with key figures, and magnetic prophecy effects. Conclusions The self-growth program used in this study was effective in improving middle school students’ self-esteem and learning motivation, and It can be seen that these effects were revealed through various practical experiences toward self-growth in interactions with group members. The results of this study are meaningful in that they provided concrete methods to effectively increase self-esteem and learning motivation of middle school students. It will contribute to exploring and suggesting the direction of a program that combines life guidance and learning guidance for middle school students.