The Effect of Hope Training on the Hardiness Level of Female Candidates of the University Entrance Exam

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of hope training on the hardiness level of female students who were candidates of the university entrance exam. This was a semi-experimental research with pretest-posttest and control group design. The statistical population of the study included all the pre-university female students in Maku city in the academic year of 2017-2018 (N=173). From this population, a sample of 30 pupils was selected through purposeful sampling method, based on the criteria for inclusion in the study. The participants were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups, each with 15 students. They completed the pre-test and post-test stages of the revised academic hardiness scale (RAHS), while the experimental group underwent eight ninety-minute hope training sessions. Data analysis was performed using covariance analysis in SPSS program. Based on the results, hope training led to increase in the average scores of the experimental group for hardiness and its components, including personal commitment, challenge, and emotional control; besides, the experimental group significantly exceeded the control group in the scores for the stated variables (p<0.01). Therefore, it can be argued that hope training is effective on the degree of academic hardiness of female volunteers.