Personal development of first year forensic science students of the National Autonomous University of Mexico

Abstract

Introduction: The Forensic Science degree has recently been introduced in Mexico. The profile of the graduate requires that they have a range of skills essential to their personal and professional growth.

Objective: The objective of this study is to report the first educational research study made in order to follow the personal development of the first generation of these students from the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

Method: A cross-sectional, descriptive, comparative and correlational study was conducted on the skills of students of the first semester of the Bachelor’s degree in forensic science, and their relationship with their academic performance. Eleven Likert-type scales were applied to evaluate the related skills: «Self-esteem», «Self-awareness and emotional expression», «Commitment», «Creativity», «Resilience and coping», «Self-criticism», «Optimism», «Selfconfidence », «Assertiveness and leadership», «Empathy», as well as «Team work and social and interpersonal skills».

Results: It was observed that those that reported a higher level of self-esteem (rs = .357; P = .038), also showed a greater commitment (rs = .289; P = .049), reported a better management of self-criticism and comments by others (rs = .309; P = .038), and tend to get better grade averages. Statistically significant differences were also found in the level of development of some skills, depending on gender, and the type of school of origin of the students.

Conclusions: Based on the results, it is recommended to support the personal growth of students, especially in their self-esteem, their commitment to school activities, as well as in their ability to perform a proper critique of themselves, and to accept the comments of others about themselves, as an improvement in the development of these skills can improve their academic performance.