The Effectiveness of a Social–Emotional Learning Program Based on Cognitive–Behavioral and Mindfulness Approaches on the Development of Values and Academic Meaning among Students with High-Risk Behaviors

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran.

2 psychology and education Faculty, university of Tabriz

Abstract

Objective: This study examined the effectiveness of a social–emotional learning (SEL) program based on cognitive–behavioral and mindfulness approaches on values and academic meaning among students with high-risk behaviors.



Methods: A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with experimental and control groups and a two-month follow-up was employed. The statistical population comprised male high school students in Khoy County during the 2025–2026 academic year. Forty students with high-risk behaviors, identified using the Iranian Adolescents Risk-Taking Scale, were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to experimental (n = 20) and control (n = 20) groups. Data were collected using the Portrait Values Questionnaire and the Academic Meaning Scale. The experimental group received a 12-session SEL program integrating cognitive–behavioral and mindfulness techniques, while the control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using mixed-design analysis of variance (Mixed ANOVA) in IBM SPSS Statistics 23.



Results: The intervention significantly improved values and academic meaning among students with high-risk behaviors compared with the control group (P < 0.01). These improvements remained stable at the two-month follow-up, indicating sustained intervention effects.



Conclusion: A social–emotional learning program integrating cognitive–behavioral and mindfulness approaches effectively enhanced values and academic meaning among students with high-risk behaviors. These findings support the inclusion of this intervention as a complementary strategy in school-based educational and

Keywords



Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 20 September 2026
  • Receive Date: 27 June 2026
  • Revise Date: 09 September 2026
  • Accept Date: 20 September 2026