Comparing the Effectiveness of Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum of Strong Kids on Sense of Belonging to School among Primary School Children of Affluent and Deprived areas of Hamedan

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Sense of connectedness with school is defined as individuals' attitudes that enhance their affinity with school environment and is improved through social-emotional Learning. The current research aimed to assess the effectiveness of strong kids' social-emotional learning program in the sense of belonging to school of primary school students in Hamedan's affluent and deprived districts. Method: The study was carried out by following quasi-experimental unequal groups design. To choose the sample from the statistical population of male five graders in the academic year of 2017-2018, the researcher selected four five-grade classes, purposively chosen from deprived (2 classes and 51 subjects) and affluent (2 classes and 45 subjects) districts and randomly assigned as control and experimental groups. As a pre-test, sense of belonging to school questionnaire (Brew, Beatty, Watt, 2004) was administered, followed by the treatment which included 12 instructional sessions (each continuing for 60 minutes in a 3-month period) and covered strong kids' social-emotional learning program for the experimental groups. Finally, the same questionnaire was administered as a post-test across the four groups. Results: The results indicated that sense of connectedness with school and its constituent components (teacher support, engagement in the broader community, the observation of fairness and respect at school, relatedness of self with school, academic engagement, positive sense to school) are higher in experimental groups than those of control groups (p<.05). In addition, it was found that strong kids' social-emotional instruction influenced sense of connectedness with school and its constituent components (teacher support, engagement in the broader community, fairness and safety, relatedness of self with school, academic engagement, and positive sense to school) equally benefitted the students in deprived and affluent district's students. Conclusion:The staff who provide an environment that allows students to grow emotionally, socially, mentally, and educationally, reinforce the sense of belonging to school. If the students feel to be cared and supported by the school, they will have better educational progress and show a decrease in risky behaviors.

Validation of an Educational Counseling Model Based on Dawis' Work Adjustment Theory and Its Effectiveness on Motivation and Psychological Capital of University Entrance Exam StudentsMohammad

“…In addition to confirming the content validity of this model, the results of this research also supported the effectiveness of this method on the academic motivation and psychological capital of university entrance exam students. The outcomes in terms of the effectiveness of this method on the aforementioned variables were consistent with the results of other studies on the effectiveness of psychological interventions on academic variables (Abbasi Fashami et al, 2020;Ahmadzadeh Samani et al, 2021;Asli Azad et al 2019;Badri Gargari, 2019;Bayrami et al, 2021;Dahmardeh & Nastiezaie, 2019;Farid et al, 2021;Fouladi et al, 2018;Ghodsi et al, 2018;Gholizadeh & Manzari, 2019;Habibi-Kaleybar et al, 2019;Haqnazari et al, 2022;Hoseinkhani et al, 2021;Jabarzadeh Chaharbrod et al, 2023;Khedri et al, 2022;Khodabandehlu et al, 2021;Maddahi & Maddah, 2014;Mehraban et al, 2022;Mikhak & Moradi, 2022;Moradi & Maleki, 2015;Motamed Yeganeh et al, 2020;Parsakia et al, 2022;Peyamannia, 2021;Pirabasi & Safarzadeh, 2018;Salajegheh & Bakhshani, 2014;Salam & Astuti, 2023;Shiroodaghaei et al, 2020;Taghizadeh et al, 2018;Tahmasbipour et al, 2021;Tarazi et al, 2020;Tavakoli & Ebrahimi, 2020;Yar-Ahmadi et al, 2018;Zahmatkesh et al, 2018;Zarenezhad et al, 2019). In explaining the effectiveness of this method on aca...…”