Investigating the role of gender moderator in the effectiveness of the Iranian positive youth development package on the components of social- emotional health

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the role of gender moderators in the effectiveness of the Iranian positive youth development package (IPYD) on the components of social-emotional health. Method: For this purpose, in a quasi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test, and follow-up stage, ۶۰ male and female adolescents aged ۱۵-۱۷ years studying in the academic year ۲۰۰۹-۲۰۱۰ were randomly selected in Isfahan. First, all members of the experimental and control groups completed the Zhou and Ee (۲۰۱۲) Emotional-Social Competency Questionnaire, and then the experimental groups were trained with a researcher-made package for ۱۶ sessions of ۴۵ minutes. In the meantime, the control group benefited from the daily training of the school. At the end of the sessions and ۴۰ days later, all groups completed the questionnaire again. Result: Findings showed that the package of the positive development of Iranian adolescence in the short term has led to an increase in the dimensions of social and emotional health in self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship management, and responsible decision-making in both genders, and in long term has caused an increase in all dimensions in girls (p<۰.۰۵). Conclusion: It seems that the Iranian adolescent positive development package is a suitable package to strengthen the components of positive development, achieve emotional-social health, and reduce problems and issues in different areas of developmental periods and the subsequent costs for adolescents, their families, and society.Keywords: Development, Emotional health, gender, Positive psychology, Social health.

Keywords:

Positive youth Development , Social-Emotional Competence , adolescent , Physical and Mental Health