title: Observational learning and the fearful child: influence of peer models on swimming skill performance and psychological responses.
abstract: This study examined the role of peer mastery and coping models on children's swimming skills, fear, and self-efficacy. Children (N = 24; M age = 6.2 years), who were identified as fearful of the water, were matched to control, peer-mastery, or peer-coping model conditions. Day 1 included a preintervention assessment. Days 2-4 included exposure to model conditions followed by a 20-min swimming lesson, Day 5 consisted of postintervention assessments, and a follow-up test was conducted 4 days later. Data were analyzed in a series of 3 x 3 (Model Type x Assessment Period) repeated measures analyses of variance on the dependent variables. Results revealed differences between modeling and control groups at postintervention and follow-up, but the small sample size and large within-group variability compromised many statistically significant findings. Calculation of effect sizes indicated moderate-to-large pre- to posintervention differences between control and modeling groups on skill, self-efficacy, and fear of swimming. These findings suggest that a modeling intervention combined with swimming lessons is a more effective behavior change agent for fearful children than swimming lessons alone.
authors.affiliation: University of Virginia, USA. mrw5d@virginia.edu
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McCullagh
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Berlant
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001290:Attitude; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D010379:Peer Group; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018401:Sample Size; D012649:Self Concept; D013550:Swimming / Q000193:education / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D014743:Videotape Recording