The Effects of a Resilience-Promoting Program for High School Students: Single-Group Pre-Post Study

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a resilience-promoting program, developed by the authors, on “relationship-building skills,” “overcoming abilities” in acquired resilience, and on “positive mood” and “negative mood.” Participants were 65 first-year students from a regular high school. A single-group pre–post comparison design was employed to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. The intervention consisted of three sessions, each lasting 45 minutes, delivered in lecture format and focusing on skills to enhance resilience in daily school life. Outcome variables were measured at three time points: before the intervention, immediately after completion, and one month after the program. Results showed significant improvements in “relationship-building skills” between the pre-intervention and both immediate and one-month follow-ups (p < .001, d = –.494; p < .001, d = –.273). “Overcoming abilities” also increased significantly between pre-intervention and both subsequent measurements (p = .028, d = –.288; p = .030, d = –.261). In addition, “positive mood” improved immediately after and at one month post-intervention (p = .001, d = –.477; p = .013, d = –.381). Conversely, “negative mood” decreased significantly between pre-intervention and both immediate and one-month follow-ups (p < .001, d = .589; p = .010, d = .360). These findings suggest that this resilience-promoting program has the potential to strengthen adolescents’ relationship-building skills and overcoming abilities, while also fostering a more positive mood state and reducing negative mood. Such programs may represent a practical approach to supporting adolescent mental health in educational settings.