Social Psychology Research

Abstract Introduction: Successful entry into the labor market is a critical stage in students' professional development, and targeted educational interventions can enhance their career optimism and transition readiness. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of flourishing training and transactional analysis on students' career path optimism and readiness for the transition from university to the workforce. Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest and a control group. The population comprised all unmarried final-year students enrolled at Golestan Azad University during the 2023–2024 academic year. Using convenience sampling, 45 students were selected and randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group (15 participants per group). The first experimental group received flourishing training, while the second received transactional analysis training across ten 60-minute sessions; the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using the Rottinghaus Career Path Optimism Questionnaire (2005) and the University-to-Work Transition Readiness Questionnaire (Sadeghi et al., 2017). Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) with SPSS-26. Results: Both flourishing training and transactional analysis significantly improved students' career path optimism and transition readiness (p < 0.05). Significant differences in effectiveness were observed between the two interventions, with flourishing training demonstrating a greater impact on both outcomes. Conclusion: Flourishing training enhances students' sense of competence, self-management, and self-awareness, promotes positive perceptions of their abilities, and fosters optimism, thereby facilitating a successful transition from university to work. Implementing such educational interventions is recommended to better prepare students for entering the labor market..

Abstract Introduction: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of social-emotional competence training on mental toughness, empathy, and school belonging among female students with antisocial behaviors. Method: This research employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group. The statistical population consisted of all female high school students in Khorramabad with antisocial behaviors during the 2024–2025 academic year. A sample of 30 students was selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (15 participants per group). The experimental group received social-emotional competence training across ten 90-minute sessions. Data collection instruments included the Antisocial Behavior Questionnaire (Burt & Donnellan, 2009), the Basic Empathy Scale for Children and Adolescents (2010), the Short Version of the Mental Toughness Questionnaire (Papageorgiou et al., 2019), and the School Belonging Scale (Brown & Evans, 2002). Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS version 26. Results: The ANCOVA results indicated that social-emotional competence training led to a significant increase in mental toughness (p < .001), empathy (p < .001), and school belonging (p < .001) in the experimental group compared to the control group. Conclusion: The findings suggest that social-emotional competence training can serve as an effective approach for enhancing mental health and reducing antisocial behaviors among female students. Based on these results, it is recommended that such training be integrated into preventive and intervention programs within schools.

Abstract Introduction: Failure to provide adequate mental health care for nurses can lead to disruptions in performing daily tasks, reduced motivation, and numerous individual and social consequences. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of emotion regulation training and interpersonal skills training on the psychosocial competence of nurses.
 
Method: The present study was a double-blinded randomized controlled trial with three groups. The study population consisted of 57 nurses, who were purposefully selected from the private hospitals of Amiralmomenin and Valiasr in Tabriz, Iran, in 2024 and were assigned to three groups in a 1:1:1 ratio. The Felner and Lease Social Competence Questionnaire (1990) was administered to all groups prior to the intervention. One intervention group received eight sessions of emotion regulation training (Gratz & Gunderson, 2006), each lasting 90 minutes, once per week. The other intervention group received interpersonal skills training (Hejazi, Babakhani, & Ahmadi, 2018) over seven sessions of 120 minutes each, twice per week. The same questionnaire was completed by participants following the intervention. Data were analyzed using MANOVA and MANCOVA.
 
Results: The adjusted mean differences in psychosocial competence components—including behavioral skills (-11.812), cognitive skills (-3.170), emotional skills (-3.451), and motivational skills (-3.793)—were statistically significant between the two intervention groups (p < 0.005).
 
Conclusion: Given the greater impact of interpersonal skills training compared to emotion regulation training, interpersonal skills training workshops may be utilized as an effective approach to enhance the psychosocial competence of nurses.

Abstract Introduction: Classical dimensions of citizenship (political, civil, and social), in the modern theoretical framework, in addition to the necessary dimensions aimed at the whole environment and human society, have shown a unique evolution in the field of citizenship and its education. Based on this and considering that people of our country do not know much about their citizenship rights and responsibilities and the observance of citizenship ethics is not at a good level, citizenship education and understanding its dimensions is a new necessity. The purpose was to compile a comprehensive package of citizenship education based on these new dimensions.
Method: The research method was comparative theme analysis based on literature, research context of scientific texts in modern citizenship and its education, and sample included 56 scientific sources. Data were analyzed through thematic network analysis.
Results: Findings showed that the components and structure of the comprehensive package of citizenship education include educational techniques focused on political, civil, social, sustainable development, environmental, digital, and media citizenship education. A comprehensive package of citizenship education was designed in twelve 90-minute sessions. The coefficient of expert agreement was 0.93, which shows the adequacy of this package. In this way, a comprehensive package in the field of citizenship was added to Iran's practical and educational knowledge.
Conclusion: The application of a comprehensive package of citizenship education in universities, as well as educational, and cultural centers, will help the development of citizenship attitudes and behaviors of people in the society and will reduce inappropriate behaviors and some of the current problems of the society.

Abstract Introduction: Learned helplessness or control of people is determined through initial interactions with social environments, and this process of helplessness is a way in which factors related to cognition, including beliefs, as well as emotional factors play a role in the amount of helplessness responses to social stimuli. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the mediating role of intelligence beliefs in the relationship between social-emotional competencies and learned helplessness in primary school students of Sari in the academic year 2023. Method: This research was practical in terms of purpose and the method of data collection is descriptive based on path analysis modeling. The statistical population includes all sixth-grade students of primary schools in Sari in the academic year of 2023. Based on non-random sampling and available methods, 218 people who met the criteria for entering the study were selected. The research tools included Quinles and Nelson's learned helplessness questionnaire (1988), Babaei's intelligence beliefs (1999), and Zhu and Ji's social-emotional competence questionnaire (2012). The data were analyzed by statistical software SPSS 18, Amos 23, path analysis, and bootstrap method with a significance level of 0.05. Findings: In addition to confirming the model under study, the results indicated that there is a significant relationship between social-emotional competencies and intelligence beliefs with learned helplessness. Also, the mediating role of intelligence beliefs in the relationship between social-emotional competencies and learned helplessness in elementary school students was confirmed (P≤0.01). Conclusion: The current research provides practical implications regarding making changes in the learned helplessness variable based on social-emotional competencies and intelligence beliefs in students.