Development and Validation of the Educational Package of the Cognitive Strategy of Emotion Regulation based on the Theory of Mindfulness and its Effectiveness on the Prosocial Behavior of Male High School Students

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Esmaeil Sadipour ¹
• Alimohammad Falahati Oushibi ²
• Soghra Ebrahimi Ghavam ³
• Hasan Asadzade ³
• Kamran Sheivandi Cholicheh ⁴

¹ Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran.

² Ph.D Student in Educational Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Allameh Tabatabaei University, Tehran, Iran.

³ Associate Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran.

⁴ Associate Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran

10.22067/tpccp.2025.86469.1621

Abstract

Introduction
Emotional behaviors are regarded as physiological responses of evolved living organisms to external stimuli. The diversity, variety, and intensity of emotional responses exhibited by different species are determined in proportion to their evolutionary rank and position. These responses are directly related to the evolution of specific brain structures. In their primary form, emotional responses manifest in various behavioral expressions, including anger, fear, sadness, hatred, disgust, and pleasure. However, in humans and primates, such behaviors exhibit a high degree of intricacy. A substantial body of evidence currently suggests that the interplay between cognitive and emotional processes plays a substantial role in the manifestation of everyday emotions. In this context, the mindfulness approach holds particular significance, as recent studies have underscored the efficacy of cognitive strategies based on the theory of mindfulness in promoting prosocial behavior. Over the past decades, altruistic actions and prosocial behaviors have been subjects of considerable discussion among social scientists, politicians, social planners, social workers, and education experts. A multifaceted array of factors contributes to the emergence of prosocial behavior, including emotion regulation cognitive strategy and mindfulness.
 
 
Method
The objective of the present study was to investigate the training of cognitive emotion regulation strategy based on the mindfulness theory and its effectiveness on prosocial behavior and students’ happiness. The present study is basic-applied and employes quasi-experimental research design. The statistical population comprised all male students enrolled in the second high school in the humanities field in Babol city during the academic year 2022-2023. The sample included 40 male high school students, initially selected through convenience sampling method and then randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Following the pre-test, the students in the experimental group underwent a training program comprising eight sessions. Subsequent to this intervention, the post-test data were collected. The Prosocial Tendencies Measure Revised (PTM-R) by Carlo and Randall (2003) was employed to analyze the data. The statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS software.
 
Findings
The findings indicated a statistically significant discrepancy between the experimental and control groups with respect to prosocial behavior (P<0.01). Consequently, the implementation of the educational program of the cognitive strategy of emotion regulation based on the theory of mindfulness, was found to be an effective pedagogical approach in enhancing prosocial behavior among students. Consequently, the educational program of the cognitive strategy of emotion regulation emerges as a promising educational approach for fostering prosocial behavior in students.
In consideration of the findings and the data pertaining to the minimum acceptable CVR, which was established as 0.59 for a panel of eleven experts, it can be posited that the research hypothesis advanced in the validation stage, namely, "The developed educational package of cognitive emotion regulation strategy based on the mindfulness theory possesses content validity," has been substantiated. This assertion is substantiated by the data concerning the minimum acceptable CVR, which was determined based on the number of judges, and the maximum score of 1, in conjunction with the minimum score of 0.64 across eight sessions. After the pre-test effect was controlled using the analysis of covariance method, the results demonstrated a significant effect on students' prosocial behavior. This finding indicates that the educational program focused on cognitive emotion regulation strategies has a significant impact on students' prosocial behavior scores, and there is a substantial discrepancy in the prosocial behavior scores of students in the control and experimental groups. The findings indicate that 34% of students' prosocial behavior is associated with the cognitive emotion regulation strategy. The findings indicate that, after controlling for the pre-test variable, the difference between the post-test means of the experimental and control groups is statistically significant (P<0.001 and F=18.844). Indeed, the designed educational package intervention proved effective in increasing students' prosocial behavior in the post-test phase.
 
 
Discussion and Conclusion
According to Zaskonda (2010), a number of evolutionary psychologists subscribe to the notion that prosocial behavior tendencies, including altruism, are intrinsic in the human and that these tendencies are genetically determined and formed as an internal mechanism common to all humans. Conversely, other researchers posit that prosocial behaviors are indicative of the favorable nature of humans. Conversely, social researchers have posited that the emergence of prosocial behavior is influenced by social and environmental factors, such as social reinforcement and approval from others, as well as the maintenance of social and environmental interactions (Paulus, 2018). Educational psychologists, on the other hand, underscore the pivotal influence of family and parenting styles in the genesis of prosocial behavior. According to extant research and studies related to prosocial behavior, there is a growing interest in the study of altruistic behavior in various fields of psychology and social sciences. However, despite the extensive research conducted on prosocial behavior and its development, researchers still face numerous questions in understanding this behavior (Dunfield & Kuhlmeier, 2013). Consequently, there is an imperative for extensive research in this domain to foster a more comprehensive theoretical basis, and thereby facilitating the education and cultivation of altruistic behaviors in children and adolescents within educational institutions.
In light of the aforementioned assertions, the compilation and implementation of educational package of the cognitive strategy of emotion regulation based on the theory of mindfulness, and its meaningful impact on prosocial behavior can be both theoretically useful for researchers and practically effective in increasing students' altruistic behavior. This theoretical framework not only offers researchers a valuable intellectual framework but also has the practical advantage of promoting altruistic conduct among students. It is also anticipated that the compilation of an educational package encompassing cognitive emotion regulation strategies, followed by its training to other students, led to a notable enhancement and excellence in prosocial behavior.

Keywords

• cognitive regulation of emotion
• mindfulness
• social behavior

Main Subjects

• Cognetive Psy

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