THE EFFECTS OF SELF-DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES FOR BUDDHISM HOLISTIC WELL BEING OF YOUTHS IN LEARNING CENTER OF BUDDHISM AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF WAT SUTHIWARARAM

Abstract

The purpose of this article was to present the effects of self-development activities for Buddhism holistic well-being of youths. A quasi - experimental research method and non-randomized control-group pretest-posttest design were used in this study. The sample were 128 Mathayom 4 students who joined in moral camp of learning center of Buddhism and social development of Wat Suthiwarara. The sample were selected by purposive sampling from 128 applicants for the project which divided into 2 groups with 64 students in experimental groups and 64 students in control group. The study was conducted by organizing 10 training activities for 2 days 1 night and following up after 1 month of participation. The experimental group received training on the activity sets that designed by the researcher and the control group performed normal activities. Instruments used to collect data were self-development activities module, questionnaires of self-development and participatory behavioral observation form. Data were statically analyzed through percentage, mean, standard deviation and hypotheses were tested with t-test and one way ANOVA. The result found that average score of self - development for Buddhism holistic well-being enhancing of the experimental group were higher than before participating in the activities, after participation in activities and follow-up period and there were statistically significant differences at the .05 level (F = 68.661 ***, p-value = .000). The pair comparison found that, the average score of self- development after participating in the activities was higher than before participating in activities. (The average score was 3.32 and 2.89) and the follow-up period has average score of self-development higher than after participation in activities. (The average scores were 3.52 and 3.32) respectively. The pair comparison of the average score of self- development in control group found that there was no difference.