Exploring Identity through Self-compassion, Psychological Self-care, and Leadership among Undergraduate Student Leaders in an Online Existential Group Counseling Program
Keywords:
Self-compassion, Psychological self-care, Existential Psychology Counseling, Online Counseling, IdentityAbstract
This study aimed to (1) examine the effects of an online group counseling program based on existential psychology on self-compassion and psychological self-care among undergraduate student leaders, and (2) explore identity through self-compassion, psychological self-care, and leadership in undergraduate student leaders who participated in the program. The sample consisted of 30 students, divided into an experimental group of 15 and a control group of 15. The experimental group participated in nine online counseling sessions, each lasting 90 minutes. This study employed a mixed-methods approach, integrating quasi-experimental research and qualitative data collection. Self-compassion and psychological self-care were assessed using standardized scales. Quantitative data analysis utilized paired-sample t-tests to compare pre-test and post-test scores within the experimental group and independent-sample t-tests to compare scores between the experimental and control groups. Additionally, qualitative data were collected through a focus group interview with six participants to gain in-depth insights. The results indicated that the experimental group showed a significant increase in self-compassion and psychological self-care scores (p < .04). When compared with the control group, the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher scores (p < .05). Furthermore, participants in the experimental group exhibited leadership development in three key areas: confidence in leading others, management and planning skills, and teamwork abilities.
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