The effects of a computer skill training programme adopting social comparison and self-efficacy enhancement strategies on self-concept and skill outcome in trainees with physical disabilities.

Abstract

The aim of this controlled, quasi-experimental study was to evaluate the effects of both self-efficacy enhancement and social comparison training strategy on computer skills learning and self-concept outcome of trainees with physical disabilities. The self-efficacy enhancement group comprised 16 trainees, the tutorial training group comprised 15 trainees, and there were 25 subjects in the control group. Both the self-efficacy enhancement group and the tutorial training group received a 15 week computer skills training course, including generic Chinese computer operation, Chinese word processing and Chinese desktop publishing skills. The self-efficacy enhancement group received training with tutorial instructions that incorporated self-efficacy enhancement strategies and experienced self-enhancing social comparisons. The tutorial training group received behavioural learning-based tutorials only, and the control group did not receive any training. The following measurements were employed to evaluate the outcomes: the Self-Concept Questionnaire for the Physically Disabled Hong Kong Chinese (SCQPD), the computer self-efficacy rating scale and the computer performance rating scale. The self-efficacy enhancement group showed significantly better computer skills learning outcome, total self-concept, and social self-concept than the tutorial training group. The self-efficacy enhancement group did not show significant changes in their computer self-efficacy: however, the tutorial training group showed a significant lowering of their computer self-efficacy. The training strategy that incorporated self-efficacy enhancement and positive social comparison experiences maintained the computer self-efficacy of trainees with physical disabilities. This strategy was more effective in improving the learning outcome (p = 0.01) and self-concept (p = 0.05) of the trainees than the conventional tutorial-based training strategy.