Development and Preliminary Evaluation of a Positive Education Package Based on Rumi’s Masnavi and Nezami’s Khamsa: A Quasi-Experimental Study with Two-Month Follow-Up on Social Skills and Social Anxiety in Male Students
Keywords:
Positive education, Social skills, Social anxiety, School-based interventions, Cultural adaptation, Classical Persian literatureAbstract
The present study aimed to develop and preliminarily evaluate the effectiveness of a culturally adapted positive education package grounded in Rumi’s Masnavi and Nezami’s Khamsa on the developmental trajectory of social skills and social anxiety across pretest, posttest, and two-month follow-up assessments. The study was conducted in two sequential phases. First, a structured content analysis of selected classical Persian literary texts was undertaken to extract themes related to self-awareness, hope, emotional regulation, meaning-making, and forgiveness, which were then operationalized into a 10-session group-based intervention protocol. Content validity was confirmed by expert review. In the second phase, a quasi-experimental design with repeated measures and a control group was implemented. The sample consisted of 40 male high school students in Isfahan who were cluster-assigned (at the classroom level) to experimental and control groups. Measures included the Inderbitzen and Foster Social Skills Questionnaire and the Fenigstein Social Anxiety subscale. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni-adjusted pairwise comparisons. Results indicated a significant time × group interaction effect for total social skills (p<.001, ηp²=0.334), reflecting differential developmental trajectories between groups. A significant interaction was also observed for social anxiety (p=.025, ηp²=0.092), although the main effect of group was not significant. Pairwise comparisons revealed significant improvements in social skills from pretest to posttest and follow-up, whereas overall time-based comparisons for social anxiety did not reach statistical significance. The culturally grounded positive education package demonstrated effectiveness in altering the longitudinal trajectory of social skills and showed a divergence pattern in social anxiety, characterized by relative stability in the experimental group compared to an increasing trend in the control group; however, conclusions should remain cautious given methodological and measurement limitations.
Downloads
References
Aslam, S., Amjad, A. I., & Abid, D. N. (2025). Psychoeducational approaches to mental health for educators and students. Frontiers in Education, 10, 1697988-1697988. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1697988
Babu, A., Joseph, A. P., Bose, J., & Sarathy, K. (2025). Reimagining adolescent well-being through yoga as a public health paradigm. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 16, 1691915-1691915. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1691915
Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Prentice Hall. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1979-05015-000
Beehler, S., Birman, D., & Campbell, R. (2012). The effectiveness of cultural adjustment and trauma services (CATS): Generating practice-based evidence on a comprehensive, school-based mental health intervention for immigrant youth. American Journal of Community Psychology, 50(1-2), 155-168. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-011-9486-2
Buckingham, C. (2025). Measuring the effectiveness of the Friendship Saver Program (later known as Social Stencil). https://www.socialstencil.com/s/Measuring-the-Effectiveness-of-the-Friendship-Saver-Program-later-known-as-Social-Stencil-2.pdf
Buhake, L. (2025). Integrating faith-based approaches into cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for mental health: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the existing studies ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global]. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2026-02836-292
Castro-Olivo, S. M., & Merrell, K. W. (2012). Validating cultural adaptations of a school-based social-emotional learning programme for use with Latino immigrant adolescents. Advances in School Mental Health Promotion, 5(2), 79-92. https://doi.org/10.1080/1754730X.2012.689193
Chang, E., Bayliyeva, R., & Zhu, Y. (2025). Evaluating the effectiveness of facilitator-led mental health education program interventions to improve adolescent mental wellbeing. medRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.02.16.25322348
Compas, B. E., Jaser, S. S., Bettis, A. H., & Watson, K. H. (2017). Coping, emotion regulation, and psychopathology in childhood and adolescence: A meta-analysis and narrative review. Psychological bulletin, 143(9), 939-991. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000110
Domitrovich, C. E., Durlak, J. A., Staley, K. C., & Weissberg, R. P. (2017). Social-emotional competence: An essential factor for promoting positive adjustment and reducing risk in school children. Child development, 88(2), 408-416. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12739
Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students' social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child development, 82(1), 405-432. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01564.x
Fenigstein, A., Scheier, M. F., & Buss, A. H. (1975). Public and private self-consciousness: Assessment and theory. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 43(4), 522-527. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0076760
Haeri, N. (2020). Say what your longing heart desires: Women, prayer, and poetry in Iran. Stanford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781503614253
Hull, I. M., Cutrer-Párraga, E. A., & Ricks, P. H. (2025). Mirrors for Pacific Islander children: Teaching resilience through culturally adapted bibliotherapy. International journal of environmental research and public health, 22(3), 430-430. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22030430
Inderbitzen, H. M., & Foster, S. L. (1992). The Teenage Inventory of Social Skills: Development, reliability, and validity. Psychological assessment, 4(4), 451-459. https://doi.org/10.1037/1040-3590.4.4.451
Ishikawa, S., Kishida, K., Takahashi, T., & Fujisato, H. (2023). Cultural adaptation and implementation of cognitive-behavioral psychosocial interventions for anxiety and depression in Japanese youth. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 26(4), 645-662. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-023-00446-3
Kanchan, M. (2025). The attitude-anxiety relationship: Influences of family, peer group, and school environment. Naveen International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 1(4). https://nijms.com/index.php/nijms/article/view/45
Li, Y., Tian, E., Bakar, Z. B. A., & Ashari, Z. B. M. (2025). Gender differences in the relationship between bullying victimization and mobile phone addiction among adolescents: The mediating roles of depression and social anxiety. BMC psychology, 13(2), 3202-3202. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-03202-0
Maduike, N. M. (2025). Nurturing Mature Adolescents: An advanced psycho-educational program exploring the effectiveness of social-emotional competence among adolescent middle school students- Phase I Action Research Pilot Study Liberty University Digital Commons]. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7804/
Mian, N. U. A., Khan, F. N., Hussain, S., Hussain, A., Khan, A., & Bashir, U. (2025). Empowering minds: The role of social intelligence in reducing anxiety and building resilience among secondary school students in District Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. International Journal of Social Works Review, 3(2). http://socialworksreview.com/index.php/Journal/article/view/274
Mishu, M. P., Tindall, L., Kerrigan, P., & Gega, L. (2023). Cross-culturally adapted psychological interventions for the treatment of depression and/or anxiety among young people: A scoping review. PLoS One, 18(9), e0290653-e0290653. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0290653
Nwokedi, F. (2025). Effectiveness of school-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in reducing adolescent depression and anxiety: A systematic review. Texila Advanced Journal of Multidisciplinary Health Sciences, 5(2), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.21522/TAJMHR.2016.05.02.Art014
Pirhekayaty, T. (2022). Cognitive behavioral therapy in Iran. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82555-3_17
Ray, S., Pal, A. K., Kundu, P. S., & Santosh, S. (2025). School mental health in India: The present scenario and future directions. Mental Health & Prevention, 35, 2000546-2000546. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200444
Sadat, S., Vahedi, S., Fathi Azar, E., & Badri Gargari, R. (2024). Developing a School-Based Positive Education Training Package and Its Effectiveness on the Subjective Well-Being of Sixth Grade Elementary Students. New Educational Thoughts, 19(2), 53-72. https://jontoe.alzahra.ac.ir/article_7123.html?lang=en
Sadri, M. R., Golparvar, M., Aghaei, A., & Gilliam, L. (2021). Comparison of Effectiveness of Academic Meaning Oriented Training and Positive Psychology Training on Academic Optimism and Meaning of Education. Positive Psychology Research, 7(3), 31-50. https://ppls.ui.ac.ir/article_26227.html?lang=en
Salamı, M. O., Khan, R., & Yusuf, M. (2022). The mediating role of meaning in the relationship between depression and hope. International Journal of Psychology and Educational Studies, 9(2), 368-375. https://doi.org/10.52380/ijpes.2022.9.2.612
Seligman, M. E. P., Ernst, R. M., Gillham, J., Reivich, K., & Linkins, M. (2009). Positive education: Positive psychology and classroom interventions. Oxford Review of Education, 35(3), 293-311. https://doi.org/10.1080/03054980902934563
Skalski Bednarz, S. B., Toussaint, L. L., & Webb, J. R. (2024). Teaching forgiveness: Exploring psychoeducational and therapeutic strategies to foster well-being. EDUKACJA Quarterly, 2(24), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.24131/3724.240201
Taghikhani, S., Nateghian, A., & Karsazi, H. (2024). Relations among memories of parental acceptance-rejection, psychological (mal)adjustment, forgiveness, and vengeance among Iranian adults. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 185(2), 125-141. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221325.2024.2303594
Talattof, K. (2022). Nezami Ganjavi and classical Persian literature. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-97990-4
Vassilopoulos, S. P., Brouzos, A., & Damer, D. E. (2013). A psychoeducational school-based group intervention for socially anxious children: Theory and practice. The Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 38(4), 357-373. https://doi.org/10.1080/01933922.2013.819953
Waters, L., Loton, D., & Jach, H. K. (2021). Does positive education work? The effect of positive education on student wellbeing and academic outcomes. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 642177-642177. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.774967
Worthington, E. L. (2024). REACH forgiveness: A narrative analysis of group effectiveness. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 74(1), 45-59. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207284.2024.2340593
Worthington Jr, E. L. (2007). Handbook of forgiveness. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203955673
Zonoubi Tabar, A., & Taghvaei Nia, A. (2019). The Effectiveness of a Positive Education Package on Emotions and Teacher-Student Relationships. Journal of Psychological Sciences, 18(76), 441-450. https://psychologicalscience.ir/article-1-329-en.html
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 1404 حسین اسماعیلی (نویسنده); هادی فرهادی (نویسنده مسئول); اصغر آقایی (نویسنده)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
