Building Psychological Capital through Leadership Development

Abstract

Using the lens of psychological capital (PsyCap), this research study explored the relationship between college women’s involvement in various types of leadership activities and the constructs of hope, resilience, and leadership-efficacy. Data from the Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership, conducted at Washburn University in spring of 2018, were analyzed to determine how co-curricular, immersive, and academic leadership involvement for college women relate to PsyCap development. This study also explored the demographic characteristics of college women who participate in leadership activities and analyzed students’ pre-college perceptions of their own psychological capital. Results reveal higher levels of hope, resilience, and leadership efficacy for students reporting involvement in leadership activities compared to students who reported no involvement. Furthermore, the study suggests correlations between participation in activities categorized as Co-Curricular and Immersive Leadership Involvement and higher levels of PsyCap. Results also indicate that participation in more than one leadership activity is generally associated with higher levels of hope, resilience, and leadership-efficacy, and that class-level is an important predictor of a students’ psychological capital. Co-curricular leadership involvement is particularly relevant to the development of PsyCap, as this involvement was found to be a predictor for both leadership efficacy and resilience. More immersive leadership experiences were found to be predictors of leadership efficacy as well. Implications of this study include consideration of how leadership development programs in higher education institutions can promote learning outcomes beyond those typically associated with leadership education to include enhancing psychological tools that can help students overcome challenges they will undoubtedly face after college.