The Effectiveness of Coping Abilities Workshop on Self-Regulation, Social Performance, and Aggression in Students

Abstract

Purpose: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Coping Abilities Workshop, a structured intervention designed to enhance self-regulation, improve social performance, and reduce aggression among first to third-grade primary school students exhibiting signs of Oppositional Defiant Disorder in Tehran, District 2. Methodology: This randomized controlled trial involved 60 students, evenly divided into an intervention and a control group. Each group comprised 30 participants, and the intervention spanned eight weeks, with follow-up assessments conducted three months post-intervention. Measurements for self-regulation, social performance, and aggression were taken using standardized tools at three time points: pre-intervention, post-intervention, and follow-up. The data were analyzed using ANOVA with repeated measures and Bonferroni post-hoc tests, utilizing SPSS software version 27. Findings: Significant improvements were observed in the intervention group compared to the control. Post-intervention results showed substantial increases in self-regulation (mean pre = 32.45, SD = 4.12; mean post = 45.67, SD = 3.56) and social performance (mean pre = 28.54, SD = 2.95; mean post = 40.26, SD = 2.45), along with a notable reduction in aggression (mean pre = 35.60, SD = 5.12; mean post = 20.22, SD = 4.75). These effects were maintained at the three-month follow-up, indicating the lasting impact of the intervention. Conclusion: The Coping Abilities Workshop significantly enhanced self-regulation and social performance while effectively reducing aggression among primary school students with Oppositional Defiant Disorder. The intervention proved to have a sustainable impact, suggesting its potential for broader application in similar educational and behavioral settings.