Bowen et al., 2013: Affirming values increases academic performance among low-income middle school students
Reference:
Bowen, N. K., Wegmann, K. M., & Webber, K. C. (2013). Enhancing a brief writing intervention to combat stereotype threat among middle-school students. Journal of Educational Psychology, 105(2), 427.
Download PDFSummary:
Extending Cohen et al., 2006, 2009, a values-affirmation intervention was delivered to 6th-, 7th-, and 8th- grade students in a middle school that served a predominantly low-income and African American and Latino student body. The exercise was completed in homeroom classrooms two weeks before the end of the first marking period. The intervention forestalled a negative slope in social studies grades over the school year. In addition, homeroom teachers were randomized to read students’ essays or not. When teachers read students’ values-affirmation essays, as compared to both when they did not values-affirmation essays and when they read students’ control essays, students earned higher social studies grades over the year.
Psychological Process:
What Desired Meaning is At Stake?
What is the Person Trying to Understand?
To See the Self as AdequateApproach to Desired Meaning
What about it?
Remedy Threats to Self-Integrity that Undermine FunctioningHow?
Psychological Question Addressed
Am I under threat, because could I be seen or treated negatively because of my group identity?Am I under threat, because could I be seen or treated negatively because of my group identity?Psychological Question Addressed
Am I under threat, because could I be seen or treated negatively because of my group identity?Psychological Process 2:
Need
Need to BelongWhat is the Person Trying to Understand?
What Desired Meaning is At Stake?
What Desired Meaning is At Stake?
To Feel Connected, Included, Respected, and Valued by OthersWhat About it?
Approach to Desired Meaning
Approach to Desired Meaning
Link Belonging to a Behavior or Attitude to Motivate Positive ChangeHow?
Psychological Question Addressed
Am I connected with important people in school or work settings?Am I connected with important people in school or work settings?Linking social connections and feelings of belonging to goal pursuitsPsychological Question Addressed
Psychological Question Addressed
Am I connected with important people in school or work settings?Psychological Process 3:
Social Area:
Education
Intervention Technique:
Active reflection, values-affirmation; Prompting with information