Arab Educational Information Network

The study aimed to identify the effectiveness of the selection theory in reducing the feeling of psychological alienation and developing a sense of optimism among a sample of female university students. The number of the study sample was (66) students, and the study measures were applied to them, and then 15 students were selected purposefully based on their ; low degrees on the optimism scale and high degrees on the psychological alienation scale, and they were distributed randomly to two groups. The experimental group which consisted of (8) female students who were exposed to a counselling and therapeutic program based on William Glaser's Theory of Choice, and the control group consisted of (7) female students; who did not receive any counselling program. The study results indicated the effectiveness of the proposed programmes and treatment based on the theory of selection in the elimination of the feeling of psychological alienation and the development of optimism among students in the experimental group. Based on the results, the researcher recommends to activate counselling services in universities, and to use selection theory strategies due to their effective effect in the treatment of mental disorders. (Published abstract)