Fortunate? Or Unfortunate? Optimistic Thinking Training for the Adolescents Applying Mutual Value Theory

• In Event: Interrogating Consequential Education Research for Adolescents' Psychological Well-Being in China

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified and exacerbated the already existing stress and anxiety issues regarding the mental health of adolescents in China. Lack of motivation, school dropout, tension between parents and adolescents, digital game addiction, stress, anxiety, depression, self-harm, suicides have all been reported and the cases are still on the rise.
Traditionally, youth psychological problems are often treated using methods of counselling, interventions or prescribing medications. Recently, with the fast growing of positive psychology, more and more attention has been drawn to empowering the youth’s inner mentality through methods of optimistic thinking training.
Optimistic thinking training was first developed by Albert Ellis (2000). Ellis proposed a theory called ABC theory where A refers to adversity, B refers to belief, and C refers to consequences. This theory states that in order to cope with the adversity, one has to change our beliefs regarding the situation (Sarracino et al., 2017).
Later, Seligman (2007) adopted Ellis’s ABC theory and expanded it to ABCDE theory where D refers to Dispute and E refers to energize. Seligman particularly emphasizes the step of self-dispute where the individual combat the negative thoughts by disputing with himself. (Jorn, 2016).
Built on both Ellis and Seligman’s work, this program introduces a new optimistic thinking training model applying mutual value theory (Boyanton, 2014). Based mutual value theory, “value” is an essential factor behind all human drives and our attitudes are determined by the value that we assigned to people or things. Adolescents construct their value assessments about the reality as they make their own interpretations and decisions concerning the situation. How the adolescents respond in different situations depending on how much value they assign to it. However, more often than not, their judgement and interpretation can be misinterpreted, under-nuanced, and decontextualized in broader, societal, and public conversations about social issues in pursuit of truth.
Thus, we propose a new model of change adolescents’ attitudes in times of adversity is to change their way of viewing the world. The purpose of this program was to guide adolescents re-examine their situation and re-construct the truth about it. This program was called Sunshine Summer Camp Program. Guided by mutual value theory, it aimed to increase four types of values within the adolescents: 1) self-value, the adolescents value themselves, 2) perceived self-value, the adolescents believe they are being valued by others, 3) other value, the adolescents value others, and 4) course-value, the adolescents value the course (Boyanton, 2014). This program was implemented in summer 2022, it lasted for 14 days with a total of 19 participants (with 3 from Australia and 16 from China). Classroom observation and individual interview were conducted during class sessions.
With deep, sustained, and systematic interrogation, we were able to successfully re-construct the adolescents’ thinking about their self, others, adversity and future. Our research findings show that the adolescents (100%) became more confident as individuals, more positive viewing the reality, more able to see difficulties as learning opportunities, more hopeful about the future, and improved psychological well-being.

Author

• Dengting Boyanton, Sino-American Educational Research Association
  Presenting Author