Efficacy of Positive thinking training on the Female Adolescents’ Perceived Social Support in the Town of Sar-E-Pol-E-Zahab

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD Student in General Psychology, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran.

3 Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran.

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of positive thinking training on the female adolescents’ perceived social support in the town of Sar-e-Pol-e-Zahab. The research method was quasi-experimental with pretest, posttest, control group and two-month follow-up period design. The statistical population of the study included 285 female adolescents who were under the support of the Organization of Wellbeing in the town of Sar-e-Pol-e Zahab in the first six months of 2020. 40 adolescents were selected through purposive sampling method and randomly accommodated into experimental and control groups (20 adolescents in the experimental group and 20 in the control group). The adolescents in the experimental group received positive thinking training (11 sessions) during two-and-a-half months. 2 adolescents in the experimental group and 1 in the control group quitted taking part in the study after beginning the intervention. The applied questionnaires in this study included perceived social support questionnaire (Zimnet et al, 1988). The data from the study were analyzed through mixed ANOVA via SPSS23 statistical software. The results showed that positive thinking training has had significant effect on the perceived social support (F=48.51; Eta=0.58, P<0001) of female adolescents in a way that this intervention succeeded in improving the adolescents’ social acceptant and interaction. According to the findings of the present study, positive thinking training can be an efficient method to improve the adolescents’ perceived social support through employing mediation, mindfulness, using one’s strong suits, confirming the self and stating the values.

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