Observational learning and the fearful child: Influence of peer models on swimming skill performance and psychological responses

Tills study examined the role of peer mastery and coping models on children 's swimming skills, fen and self-efficacy. Children (N = 24; M age = 6.2 ye ars), who were identified;ed fearful of the water; were matched to control, peer-mastery, or peer-coping model conditions. Day I included a postinterv ention assessment, Days 2-4 included exposure to model conditions followed by a 20-min swimming lesson, Day 5 consisted of postintervention assessment s, and a follow-up, lest was conducted 4 clays Inter: Data were analyzed in a series of 3 x 3 (Model Type x Assessment Period) repeated measures analy ses of variance on the dependent variables. Results revealed differences be tween modeling and control groups at postintervention and follow-up, but th e small sample size and large within-group, variability compromised many st atistically significant findings. Calculation of effect sizes indicated mod erate-to-large pre- to postintervention differences between control and mod eling groups on skill, self-efficacy, and fear of swimming. These findings suggest that a modeling intervention combined with swimming lessons is a mo re effective behavior change agent for fearful children than swimming lesso ns alone.