Of ever becoming : a design-based research study on devising intentional challenge interventions for personal growth

Challenges are an inevitable part of being human, yet may cause significant affliction. At the same time, challenges are also understood to foster strengths and resilience, potentially serving as a catalyst for personal development. In an attempt to reconcile this paradox, an approach of intentionally utilizing challenges for growth, and thereby learning to deal with challenges more resiliently, is proposed, based on Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1986). It is hypothesized that a four-step intervention following the devised approach could assist taking on challenge and using it as a vehicle for personal growth, leading to higher contentment with one’s state and actions, as well as continuous development. Aiming to foster thriving, as operationalized by well-being and acting well, the according intervention is developed via design-based research. Prototypes are iteratively tested and adapted. The intervention is conducted in the form of 15 workshops, in total comprising 256 participants currently in a context posing a challenge. Within each workshop, attendees take part in the four-step process to clarify their status quo and devise an intentional challenge. Participants report improvements in their well-being and confidence in their actions after the workshop, and begin implementing an intentional challenge for daily life. In a later follow-up, participants note feeling happier and more resilient, and indicate strengthened willpower and self-efficacy. Interventions encouraging personal growth appear promising in assisting situations of challenge, such as crossroads in life, finding a fulfilling purpose and professional path, and calibrating balance within various areas of our lives. They can be employed in according contexts, such as schools and organizations. This examination offers an exemplary blueprint for such an approach.