The Effectiveness of Self-Awareness Skills Training on Social Adjustment and Depression in Children of Divorce
Keywords:
Self-awareness skill training, Social adaptation, DepressionAbstract
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of self-awareness skill training on social adjustment and depression in children of divorce.
Methods and Materials: A quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest and control group was used. The statistical population consisted of children of divorce who attended counseling centers in Babol in 2023. A sample of 30 children was selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (15 each). The instruments included Bell’s Social Adjustment Questionnaire (2007) and the Beck Depression Inventory for children. The experimental group participated in six weekly sessions (60 minutes each) of self-awareness skill training. Data were analyzed using ANCOVA.
Findings: ANCOVA results showed that self-awareness training significantly improved social adjustment (F=27.53, p<0.001, η²=0.453) and reduced depression (F=34.68, p<0.001, η²=0.412) in the experimental group compared to the control group. All variables followed a normal distribution.
Conclusion: Self-awareness training can serve as an effective intervention for improving psychological and social outcomes in children of divorce. Enhancing self-recognition, emotional regulation, and assertiveness were key mechanisms underlying the observed improvements.
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