مجله علوم روانشناختی (Mar 2019)
The effectiveness of training program of positive youth development on life satisfaction and self-efficacy in adolescents
Abstract
Background: The occurrence of significant physical-psychosocial changes in adolescence can affect life satisfaction and self-efficacy in adolescents. Therefore, environmental facilities and developmental programs are necessary for adolescent’s adjustment. Aims: The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of positive youth development program on adolescents' life satisfaction and self-efficacy. Method: The present study was a quasi-experimental study with pretest, posttest, and follow-up design with control group. To this aim, forty-eight students among female students studying in the ninth grade of secondary school in the academic year 1396-97 in the city of Arak were selected by multistage random sampling and randomly divided into two experimental (23) and control groups (n = 25). Experimental group received positive youth development program in 24 one-hour sessions. Both groups completed the life satisfaction scale (Diener et al., 1985) and the general self-efficacy scale (Sherer et al., 1982) in the pretest, posttest, and follow-up stages. Results: The results of covariance analysis indicated that positive youth development program was effective on adolescents' life satisfaction and self-efficacy in short and long term (p=0.005). Conclusions: The findings suggest that positive youth development program can be an appropriate practical program for increasing adolescents’ life satisfaction and self-efficacy.
