The influence of an experimental Ropes Course Development programme on the self-concept and self-efficacy of the young career officer

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:The tendency to use adventure-based training as an intervention medium forthe improvement of the self-concept has grown rapidly over the past fewyears. However, research results on the effect of adventure-based training onparticipants' self-concepts are very contradictory. Some studies revealedsignificant positive improvements, while others revealed no significantdifferences in pre- and post-measures.The effect of adventure training on the self-concept in the military context hasso far not yet been investigated in South Africa. A sound self-concept is ofcritical importance to young career officers, as it enables them to function withself-confidence in both their work environment and their community roles.They enter the military environment as late adolescents, which implies thatthe successful mastering of specific developmental tasks such as theformation of identity or self-concept, is a prerequisite for their dynamicfunctioning in the world of work.The aim of this study was to determine whether adventure training can indeedbe utilised to enhance the self-concepts and self-efficacy of young careerofficers in the South African National Defence Force.A quasi-experimental design with a pre-test, post-test and post-post-test wasused to determine the effect of a Ropes Course Development Programme onthe self-concepts of young career officers. Subjects for the experimentalgroup were selected from the young career officer population at the MilitaryAcademy (n=33) and subjects for the control group were selected from theyoung career officer population at the SA Army Gymnasium (n=32). Twomeasuring instruments were administered, during three time intervals, namelythe Self-description Questionnaire III and the General Self-efficacy Scale.From the results it can be concluded that the control group did not changemuch during the eight-week-period of the study. Only three significant withingroupchanges occurred, namely in the scores of the mathematical skills selfconceptsub-scale, in the scores of the total academic self-concept and theGSE scale. All three measurements showed a significant increase for the pretestto post-post-test time interval.The experimental group showed a number of changes between pre-test andpost-test, as well as pre- and post-test to post-post-test time intervals. TheSOOIII sub-scales with declining scores were the participants' self-conceptregarding their verbal skills (post- to post-post-test) and academic ability (preandpost-test to post-post-test). The total academic self-concept score wasalso significantly lower from post-test to post-post-test measurement. Scoresthat were positively affected over time were their self-concepts regarding theirrelations with parents (for pre-test to post-test), religion (for pre-test to posttestand maintained to post-post- test), the total non-academic self-concept(pre- to post-test) and the total general self-concept score (from pre- to posttest).The experimental group did not change with regard to their GSE scores.The most evident between-group differences were observed during the postpost-test on the verbal skills, academic ability, and total academic selfconceptscores (control group> experimental group), and relations with samesex self-concept scores (experimental group> control group).A significant relationship between the total SOOIII score and the GSE scaleover the three time periods was observed. Highly significant r-values wereobtained for both groups on all but one measurement.The final conclusion is that the Ropes Course Development Programme wasnot an effective intervention medium to enhance the self-concepts and selfefficacyof young career officers. There is still a need for scientific research tomotivate adventure-based programmes as training intervention in the SouthAfrican military context.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University