Reflective writing and the self-perceived development of intrapersonal communication skills among first-year university students in the UAE. Issue 1 (2nd January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Deveci, Tanju; Wyatt, Mark
• Is Part Of: Reflective practice. Volume 23:Issue 1(2022)
• Page Start: 68
• Page End: 80
• Publication Date: 2022-01-02
• Subjects: Critical thinking -- interpersonal communication -- intrapersonal communication -- reflective writing -- reflection -- university students; Professions -- Periodicals; Reflection (Philosophy) -- Periodicals; Thought and thinking -- Periodicals; Self-knowledge, Theory of -- Periodicals; Career development -- Periodicals; 370.15
• DOI: 10.1080/14623943.2021.1978066
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1462-3943

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Intrapersonal communication (IC) is inescapable; we constantly engage in self-talk. IC is surprisingly under-researched, but its quality affects students' reflective skills, impacting their academic success. This implies that students' IC skills need to be developed systematically. Our small-scale qualitative study explores first-year university students' self-perceived development of IC skills in the context of a communication course that supported intensive reflective writing experience, with data collected through reflective essays. Results suggest that the students' reflective writing experience impacted their self-perceived IC skills by enhancing analytical and problem-solving processes, self-awareness, positive thinking, and self-esteem, and also supported interpersonal communication skills' development. Introducing first-year university students to reflective writing would therefore seem to be beneficial. However, to generate positive experiences, reflective writing needs to be scaffolded carefully.