International Journal of Behavioral Sciences

International Journal of Behavioral Sciences

The Effectiveness of Resilience Training on Affective Control and Academic Well-being among Students with Clinical Symptoms of Aggression

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Department of Psychology, Ahv.C., Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran
10.30491/ijbs.2026.569566.2299
Abstract
Introduction: Adolescence is a critical developmental period characterized by substantial emotional changes, during which maladaptive aggression frequently arises from difficulties in emotion regulation. The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of resilience training on reduced fear of affective dysregulation (affective control) and academic well-being in female middle school students displaying clinical symptoms of aggression.
Method: This randomized clinical trial was conducted in Ahvaz, Iran, during the 2024–2025 academic year, employing a pretest-posttest design with a one-month follow-up. Using cluster random sampling, 30 students were selected based on elevated scores on the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale and subsequent clinical interview confirmation of aggressive symptoms. Participants were then randomly allocated to either an experimental group (n=15) that received resilience training or a waitlist control group (n=15). Outcome measures included the Affective Control Scale and the Academic Well-being Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA in SPSS version 27.
Results: Resilience training produced significant improvements in affective control (reduced fear of losing control over emotions) and academic well-being relative to the control group (time × group interaction for affective control: F=42.18, P<0.001, ηp²=0.61; for academic well-being: F=38.65, P<0.001, ηp²=0.58). These large effects were largely maintained at the one-month follow-up assessment.
Conclusion: Resilience training represents an effective intervention for reducing fear of affective dysregulation and enhancing academic well-being among female adolescents with clinical symptoms of aggression. These findings support the incorporation of resilience-based programs into school psychological services and highlight the need for replication in larger, multi-center trials.
Keywords

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