Abstract
Objectives : The purpose of this research is to examine the effects of the goal achievement orientation of the students in dental-hygiene practice classes on their self-efficacy and on their adaptation to and satisfaction with their major. Methods : A survey was conducted among the dental-hygiene students in schools located in the Daegu region on October 24-31, 2011. A total of 212 accomplished questionnaires were gathered as sources of final analytical data. Statistical analysis was conducted on the collected data, using the SPSS 19.0 program. Results : 1. The students who had good personal relationships(p=.000) and who chose their major and school based on their aptitude(p=.029) were found to have a higher degree of satisfaction than those who did not have good personal relationships and who did not choose their major and school based on their aptitude. 2. Self-confidence(p=.004), self-control efficacy(p=.000), mastery approach(p=.000), and performance approach(p=.003) were found to have positive correlations with major adaptation while task difficulty preference(p=.000) was found to have a negative correlation with the same. 3. Self-confidence(p=.004), self-control efficacy(p=.000), mastery approach(p=.000), and performance approach(p=.045) were also found to have a positive correlation with major satisfaction while task difficulty preference(p=.000) was found to have a negative correlation with the same. 4. Mastery approach(p=.000) in goal achievement orientation was found to have a positive effect on self-efficacy while mastery avoidance(p=.001) was found to have a negative effect on the same. Mastery avoidance showed the greatest effect on self-confidence(p=.000) while mastery approach showed the greatest effect on self-control efficacy(p=.000) and task difficulty preference(p=.000). 5. In goal achievement orientation, mastery approach(p=.000) was found to have a positive effect on major adaptation while mastery avoidance was found to have a negative effect on the same. Meanwhile, with regard to self-efficacy, self-control efficacy(p=.037) and task difficulty preference(p=.008) were found to have positive effects on major adaptation. 6. In the case of major satisfaction, mastery approach(p=.000) in goal achievement orientation was found to have a positive effect on it, and in self-efficacy, self-control efficacy(p=.038) and task difficulty preference(p=.002) were found to have positive effects on it. Conclusions : Accordingly, to raise the level of the dental-hygiene students' adaptation to and satisfaction with their major, the students should be given appropriate tasks so that they can raise their mastery goal, and they should be encouraged to raise their approach goal rather than their avoidance goal. In addition, the students should be provided assistance in setting self-expectations and in developing confidence in their capabilities.