Using Personal-Disclosure Mutual-Sharing (PDMS) with first-year undergraduate students transitioning to higher education

Background: Using Personal-Disclosure Mutual-Sharing (PDMS) with students 22 transitioning into Higher Education (HE) has yet to be researched in education. Aims: In two 23 studies, we aimed to explore the immediate effects of a Coping Oriented Personal-Disclosure 24 Mutual-Sharing (COPDMS) intervention on first-year undergraduate students’ relational and 25 organizational identification, perceived social support availability, and self-efficacy for 26 learning and performance. In our second study, we also aimed to examine student-perceptions 27 of participating in a COPDMS intervention. Sample and Methods: At the beginning of 28 induction week in both studies, first-year undergraduate students on the same degree 29 2 programme at a HE provider in England received an education session where COPDMS was 1 introduced. Students participated in a COPDMS session a few days later. During COPDMS 2 sessions, students mutually-shared and disclosed personal information and/or stories relating 3 to transitional experiences with other students and staff members. Results: Across both 4 studies, students’ relational identification with staff and perceived emotional, esteemed, and 5 informational support availability from others on the degree programme significantly 6 increased from pre- to post-COPDMS phases. Findings relating to relational identification 7 with other Year 1 students and perceived availability of tangible support were mixed. No 8 significant changes occurred for organizational identification with the university and self-9 efficacy for learning and performance. In Study 2, five higher-order themes relating to 10 students’ perceptions of COPDMS were found: (1) emotionality; (2) personal development; 11 (3) storytelling; (4) enhanced group processes; and (5) task appropriateness and value. 12 Conclusions: Study findings provide evidence that COPDMS is a useful psychological 13 intervention to deliver to students transitioning into HE. Practical considerations, limitations 14 and future research suggestions are provided.