A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Solution-Focused Group Counseling and Acceptance and Commitment-Based Group Counseling on Self-Efficacy and Emotion Regulation in Male Students
Keywords:
Solution, focused group counseling, Acceptance and Commitment Group Counseling, Excitement regulation, self, efficacyAbstract
Purpose: The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of solution-focused group counseling and acceptance and commitment-based group counseling on self-efficacy and emotion regulation among male high school students.
Methodology: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test, and two-month follow-up along with a control group. The statistical population consisted of all male secondary school students in Bojnord during the 2023–2024 academic year. A total of 45 participants were selected using purposive sampling and randomly assigned into three groups of 15 participants each, including a solution-focused counseling group, an acceptance and commitment-based counseling group, and a control group. Data collection instruments included the Morris Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents and the Gross and John Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. The first experimental group received solution-focused group counseling, while the second group underwent acceptance and commitment-based counseling across eight sessions. The control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA in SPSS version 23.
Findings: The findings indicated that both solution-focused and acceptance and commitment-based counseling significantly improved social, academic, and emotional self-efficacy at post-test and follow-up stages (P<0.001). Furthermore, significant increases in cognitive reappraisal and decreases in emotional suppression were observed in both intervention groups. Bonferroni post hoc analyses demonstrated that the improvements from pre-test to post-test and follow-up remained stable over time, with no significant differences between post-test and follow-up stages. Although no statistically significant differences were found between the two interventions across most variables, acceptance and commitment-based counseling demonstrated greater improvement in self-efficacy.
Conclusion: The results suggest that both solution-focused group counseling and acceptance and commitment-based counseling are effective interventions for enhancing self-efficacy and emotion regulation among male students. Focusing on personal strengths, emotional acceptance, and psychological flexibility appears to improve psychological well-being and emotional adjustment in adolescents, with effects remaining stable over time.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Benyamin Yazdani, Hossein Mahdian, Ali Jahangiri (Author)
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