A study of learned helplessness among students of the Faculty of Education at Bani Walid University

Abstract

The present study investigated the phenomenon of learned helplessness among a sample of students at the Faculty of Education, Bani Walid University, during the academic year 2024-2025. The primary objective was to assess the prevailing levels of learned helplessness and explore potential statistically significant differences attributable to gender and academic specialization. To achieve these goals, the researcher utilized the descriptive analytical method, which is well-suited for examining psychological and educational phenomena within university settings. The study population consisted of 702 students, from which a stratified random sample of 140 male and female students was selected from both scientific and literary departments. Data collection was conducted using the Learned Helplessness Scale developed by Hanan Ahmed Daher (2014), which comprises 26 items distributed across three dimensions: internal-external, stability-instability, and globality-specificity. The scale’s psychometric properties were verified, demonstrating high internal consistency and reliability. Results indicated that students at the Faculty of Education experience a noticeable level of learned helplessness. Furthermore, statistically significant differences were observed based on gender, with male students exhibiting higher levels of learned helplessness than their female counterparts. Significant differences were also identified regarding academic specialization, revealing that students in literary departments suffer more from learned helplessness compared to those in scientific departments. These findings suggest a need for targeted psychological interventions and counseling programs to enhance student motivation and academic resilience.