Evaluation of a coping skills training programme designed to raise self esteem in divorced women.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to design, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of a Coping Skills Training Programme in raising divorced women's self esteem and coping behaviour. This study incorporated feminist self esteem training and coping skills training which made use of social learning theory and. cognitive behavioural techniques, including rational emotive therapy. The Coping Skills Programme had an educational and personal growth focus and was presented in a written manual form consisting of educational notes, group exercises and homework assignments and was designed to be conducted on a small group basis for twelve sessions of two hours each. Evaluation of the programme included a qualitative, descriptive and quantitative research method which incorporated a 'between group' design (i .e. allocation of participants to an experimental and a control group at random and withheld treatment from the control group) and a 'single case' design which involved participants completing self report measurement data. In addition a 'replication phase' was added in which the control group served as the experimental group. Measurement tool s included the Index of Self Esteem (Hudson, 1982 : 9) and the Generalized Contentment Scale (Hudson, 1982 : 8) and various self measurement scales. Collection of the measurement data took place before, during and after the intervention.Results are statistically and graphically presented and on the basis of previous research, it was accurately predicted that the Coping Skills Training Programme would significantly raise the self esteem of divorced women.