Chatham University is a coeducational institution located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with an enrollment of over 2,200 students. The university's SCoRE study focused on the 2011 and 2014 first-year cohorts. The 2014 group was surveyed prior to and immediately after taking the SCoRE curriculum. The 2011 group was also surveyed prior to and immediately after taking the SCoRE curriculum. Additionally, this group was surveyed at a one-month follow up and at graduation. The survey results for both cohorts were evaluated in spring, 2016.
Students who completed SCoRE as first-years in 2011 were surveyed as seniors. Their knowledge about resilience was greater at graduation than when they took the pre-test as first-years, suggesting that the students retained what they learned.
Students in both cohorts self-reported positive behavior changes as a result of taking SCoRE. Between 52-70% of students in the 2011 cohort reported using a resilience technique somewhat or much more than they used to. For the 2014 cohort, between 61-83% of students reported using a resilience technique somewhat or much more than they used to.
Techniques and skills taught in SCoRE and used by students included the following:
Students in the 2014 cohort who returned to Chatham for a second year scored higher on behavior change indicators (i.e., achieved a higher "resiliency score") than those who withdrew from the university.
A statistically significant reduction in stress was found in students from the 2014 cohort who returned to Chatham for a second year.
Program administrators noticed and student participants reported that the experience of taking SCoRE together had a positive cohort effect.
Program administrators reported that the convenience of being able to take the course online had a positive impact on students' experience. Additionally, they described SCoRE as ready made/turnkey and easy to deliver and implement.
