The Effectiveness of Psychoeducational Group with Group Exercises Technique to Improve Student’s Self-Efficacy

How to cite: Pangestuti, R., Wibowo, M., & Japar, M. (2020). The Effectiveness of Psychoeducational Group with Exercises Techniques to Improve Student’s Self-Efficacy. Islamic Guidance and Counseling Journal, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.25217/igcj.v3i1.673 E-ISSN: 2614-1566 Published by: Institut Agama Islam Ma’arif NU (IAIMNU) Metro Lampung The Effectiveness of Psychoeducational Group with Group Exercises Technique to Improve Student’s Self-Efficacy


INTRODUCTION
High school students are in the transition phase to adolescence (Schaffhuser et al., 2017). In this phase, they experience some changes which may affect their behaviors (Harter, 2015). Therefore, the students need to have high self-efficacy to move forward. It is because self-efficacy is a very influential aspect for the development of students' personality and learning achievement (Chiaburu & Lindsay, 2008;Costa et al., 2016). Schunk & DiBenedetto (2020) states that Self-efficacy is both evaluative and goal oriented, is a key internal motivational proces. Thus, self-efficacy is a determining factor for the achievement of the desired learning objectives. Self-efficacy is basically a cognitive process which covers decision, belief, or expectation about how far individuals estimate their own abilities to perform tasks or particular actions required to achieve the desired results (Bandura, 1977). Bandura (1977) explains that the existence of self-efficacy would determine actions someone will perform, the number of efforts to do in an activity, how strong and sustainable individuals can survive within obstacles and failure, and how success or failures in a task influence the behaviors of the individuals in the future. The high self-efficacy would result in better efforts and perseverance in dealing with problems and achieving goals. Oppositely, low self-efficacy would result in disappointment which further causes high stressors (Schunk & DiBenedetto, 2020).
The role of self-efficacy in daily life would direct individuals to achieve challenging goals, and survive in facing difficulties (Schunk & DiBenedetto, 2020;Schunk et al., 2012). It shows that self-efficacy provides a pretty strong contribution to one's resilience (Cassidy, 2015;Wang et al., 2018). Therefore, it is needed in facing all difficulties in life.
When self-efficacy is high, they believe that they can perform certain responses to gain reinforcement (Rotter, 1954). In relation to this, students who have high self-efficacy would have beliefs and abilities to perform tasks (Stajkovic et al., 2018). Moreover, they also have stability and commitment in achieving the desired goals. Conversely, they will be anxious that they cannot respond to all those demands.
Low self-efficacy can be seen from their daily attitudes and behaviors at school. It is in line with what is stated by Septiningtyas et al., (2020) that students who have low selfefficacy are realized by having the following atittudes a) being passive, b) avoiding difficult tasks, c) developing difficult aspirations, d) developing low aspirations, e) never trying to do something, f) always giving up and having no passion, g) blaming the past for the lack of ability, h) being worried, stressful, and helpless, and i) looking for justification for failures.
Students' condition in the field showed that many challenging academic assignment often made students lead to uncertainty rised from new experiences (Brady et al., 2018). This uncertainty would cause anxious thoughts and feelings. When these continously happen, students will be vulnerable to stress (Frazier et al., 2019). This condition arises because of the low self-efficacy of students, so they could not develop due to the negative stress.
Regarding the importance of providing assistance to students, guidance and counseling teachers should prepare the right services. In this study, the service aimed to the low selfefficacy experienced by students. One technique that is applicable for this problem is the provision of psychoeducational group with group exercises techniques.
Group exercises technique is a technique implemented in a psychoeducational group with the orientation of making the group members active, mobile, and dynamic. Jacobs et al. (2011) says that exercises give someone chances to learn through experiences. These can also be used as an alternative approach to discover any issues within activities.
High level of self-efficacy shows students' confidence in being able to overcome various difficult situations related to the academic process so that they can overcome the demands and high academic burdens (Cassidy, 2015;Schunk et al., 2012). Self-efficacy will encourage students to enjoy learning activities and maintain attention to various academic tasks (Sunawan et al., 2017). People who have a high level of selfefficacy will easily overcome changes in the environment and will take advantage of available opportunities with their ability to develop their potential (Gündüz, 2012). Therefore, it is essential to use a psychoeducational group which can improve self-efficacy (Shimazu et al., 2005). One technique that can be used is experiential learning (Tompson & Dass, 2000). Pintrich, Meece, and Schunk (1996) believe that students who have a high level of self-efficacy will correlate with optimal self-development.
Self-efficacy needs to be developed continuously so that every individual can survive and face pressure, demands, and challenges in the stages of development. In addition, training is one effort to develop human resources to make individuals be more effective. The training is preventive and developmental. It is similar to the function of basic service that is to help all students in developing effective behaviors, and life skills which refer to the developmental tasks (Nurihsan, 2007). What differs this study from other studies is that the current study used some group exercises to improve self-efficacy, such as experimental, group-decision, and dyads and triads exercises (Jacobs et al., 2011). While other studies only used one technique in group exercises, such as problem solving, role playing, or experimental learning. This study not only focused on one group exercise, but also other effective techniques to improve self-efficacy. There are several exercises which are able to be used in group exercises. The selection of this exercises have been done based on the needs covering problems, age, cultural background, and group member's needs. This study has different characteristics compared to the others study. It was clarified in the objectives, namely to determine and analyze the effectiveness of psychoeducational group with group exercises techniques to improve students' self-efficacy.

METHODS
The subjects of this study were the tenth grade students of Public Vocational high school 7 Bandung amounted to 132 students. They were invited based on purposive sampling, the low level of self-efficacy. The participants 14 students were divided into two groups, namely experimental group and control group.
The instrument used in this study was self-efficacy scale instrument. Development of a self efficacy instrument lattice based on conceptual and operational definitions used in research. The level of self-efficacy (self efficacy) is measured using a scale compiled by researchers based on self-efficacy indicators (self efficacy) which are formulated into five indicators, namely: 1) sure can complete certain tasks, 2) sure can motivate themselves to take necessary actions in completing a task, 3) sure that you are able to try hard, persistent, and persevering, 4) sure that you are able to survive facing obstacles and difficulties, and 5) sure you can complete tasks that have a wide or narrow range (specific).
Psychological scale research instruments compiled by researchers to measure the selfefficacy of students who use the Likert scale is a scale used to measure attitudes, opinions, perceptions of a person or group about social events or symptoms (Riduwan, 2011). There are five alternative answers, namely Very Appropriate, Appropriate, Less Conforming, Non-Conforming, and Very Unsuitable, with a score distribution of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Respondents will be asked to answer the statements contained in the questionnaire by selecting an alternative answer by giving a check mark (√) on the answer sheet. It consisted of 32 items. This instrument has passed the validity test and gained (rxy=0.001-0.05, α=0.911).
The researchers employed quantitative approach in this study. For more, the experimental design applied was pretest-posttest control group design involving two groups, namely experimental and control groups (Purwanto, 2013). The intervention provided to the experimental group was in form of psychoeducational group with group exercises technique, while the control group received the intervention with no group exercises technique or placebo group.
There were several procedures performed by the researchers. First, determining the pretest standards to measure the students' self-efficacy level prior to the intervention. Second, the provision of intervention to the experimental group in form of the psychoeducational group with group exercises technique. Each group conducted five times meeting with the time allotment of 2x45 minutes for each. Third, the researchers provided posttest to the subjects to observe the improvement of self-efficacy. Fourth, the researchers performed follow-up activities in each group within two weeks after the posttest. The data collected from pretest, posttest, and follow-up were analyzed using repeated measure MIX MANOVA to see the improvement.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Based on the data description on Table 1, it was known that the mean and standard deviation of pretest, posttest and follow-up of the experimental group gained improvement (M=103; SD=7.746), posttest (M=105.3; SD=6.157) and follow-up (M=105; SD=7.703) respectively. Additionally, control group obtained the pretest score of (M=112.9; SD=9.599), posttest score of (M=119.1; SD=8.877) and follow-up score of (M=115; SD=9.238). The results of repeated measure MIX MANOVA showed the effect of time on the improvement of self-efficacy gained (F(2)=1,746, p<0.05). The group effect also had the same thing, even it has got significant difference, namely (F(3,984)=8,442, p<0.05). Another result showed the effect of time interaction and the group on the improvement of self-efficacy was (F(1,293)=0.045, p<0.05). In brief, it could be concluded that the psychoeducational group with group exercises technique was effective to improve self-efficacy.  Table 3 shows the improvement based on the comparison of time effects ranging from (T1T2), (T1-T3) and (T2-T3). This could be interpreted that there was self-efficacy improvement in every measurement phase. The experimental group contributed the self-efficacy improvement. It was showed by the differences in the scores of pretest, posttest, and follow-up. Oppositely, the control group had no changes. Its scores remained the same in the phases of pretest, posttest, and follow-up. It can be concluded that the psychoeducational group with group exercises technique was effective to improve academic hardiness and self-efficacy. The findings indicated that the provision of the psychoeducational group with group exercises technique was effective to improve self-efficacy. These are supported by the study of Arvita & Yustiana (2015) which discussed the program of group counseling service with group exercises technique. Her study concludes that this treatment can provide real experiences for the junior high school students at Childcare Social Protection Home, Bandung by establishing positive beliefs, improving self-control ability, improving stress management ability, being assertive people, and having problem solving ability. This intervention also made the students motivated to be better. Some of them even said that the counseling made them feel happier and not in a bad mood because they could play and laugh together to release boredom and stressful feelings. Yusuf (2011) findings also support the result of the current study. The investigation of 300 respondents concludes that there is a direct and indirect impact of study components and academic achievement. His findings conclude that self-efficacy is the strongest factor for academic success. Specifically, Yusuf's data analysis shows that there is a direct impact of self-efficacy, and indirect impact of achievement motivation and learning strategies on the academic achievement.
The self-efficacy is a belief on what can be done by someone, self-assessment, and capability to render the abilities into actions (Schunk & DiBenedetto, 2020;Schunk et al., 2012). Obviously, students with high self-efficacy tend to do harder effort in facing difficulties, while those with low self-efficacy are easy to give up when facing difficulties in learning, and unsure about their abilities.
Students who have good self-efficacy are more enthusiastic in the learning process, so they gain better comprehension in academic field than those who have low self-efficacy. Selfefficacy is an influential matter for motivation and achievement. However, this state can change because of preparation, physical condition (illness, and tired), and one's social environment (general social class condition). If students perform good preparation in facing a test or activity held by schools, their efficacy will be good, and vice versa.
The above explanation is in accordance with Bandura (1977) that personal efficacy can be gained, improved or reduced, through one or the combination of four sources 1) experience of something (mastery experiences), 2) social modeling, 3) social persuasion, and 4) physical and emotional conditions. Experience will improve students' self-efficacy, while repeated failures will reduce self-efficacy, especially when one's efficacy is not strong enough to face failures. The failures can reduce students' self-efficacy when the students do not realize their efforts or external circumstances. This may also be influence by other students' experiences.
By referring to the findings, guidance and counseling teachers should realize the importance of assisting students in improving self-efficacy by providing psychoeducational group with group exercises technique. It is said so because based on the results of the study, this counseling was effective to improve self-efficacy. Meanwhile, the future researchers are suggested to use this study as an alternative as a basic understanding in advancing the study of the psychoeducational group with group exercises technique to help students solve their problems, especially regarding the improvement of self-efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS
According to the findings, it can be concluded that the psychoeducational group with group exercises technique is effective to improve students' self-efficacy. This study can be used by related parties, such as guidance and counseling teachers or counselors in overcoming students' problems, particularly the students who have low self-efficacy.
The guidance and counseling teachers are expected to provide the psychoeducational group with group exercises technique to help students solve their problems. Furthermore, the