Iranian Journal of Learning and Memory

Abstract Abstract:

Objectives: Recent developments in positive psychology emphasize leveraging individual strengths to improve personal and academic outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of structured group training in positive thinking on enhancing self-esteem and self-efficacy among male secondary school students in Javanrood.

Methods: Employing a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group, the study involved 30 first-year male students selected through multistage random cluster sampling from the 2024–2025 academic year. Participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 15) receiving the intervention or a control group (n = 15). Instruments included Sherer’s Self-Efficacy Scale and Coopersmith’s Self-Esteem Inventory. The experimental group participated in 8 sessions of positive thinking skills training, each lasting 90 minutes and conducted twice weekly. Post-intervention, the control group received the same training. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) via SPSS-21 to control for pretest differences.

Results: The ANCOVA results indicated that students who participated in the positive thinking training showed statistically significant improvements in both self-esteem and self-efficacy compared to the control group. These findings suggest that structured positive thinking interventions can effectively foster psychological resilience and personal competence in adolescent males.

Conclusion: Implementing positive thinking group training in school settings can serve as a practical and evidence-based approach to promote students' mental health, self-confidence, and academic performance. These interventions can be integrated into school counseling programs to support holistic student development.

Abstract Objective: This study examined whether blended learning (BL) enhances creative thinking and academic self-regulation in pre-service mathematics teachers compared to traditional instruction. The aim was to provide evidence for updating teacher education with methods that develop these essential skills for future educators.

Method: A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design was implemented. Forty-five pre-service teachers were non-randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=22) receiving a 12-session BL course on Algebraic Structures, which integrated online modules with face-to-face collaboration, or a control group (n=23) receiving standard lecture-based instruction for identical content. Primary measures were the Welch & McDowall Creative Thinking Scale and the Bouffard Academic Self-Regulation Scale. Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) was used for analysis via SPSS-26, controlling for pre-test scores.

Results: The experimental group achieved substantially higher post-test scores in both creative thinking (P < .05, η² = .246) and academic self-regulation (P < .05, η² = .117) compared to the control group. A significant group × time interaction was observed for creative thinking (F = 12.04, P < .01, η² = .215) and academic self-regulation (F = 6.78, P < .05, η² = .133).

Conclusions: The findings indicated that a structured blended learning model is a more effective strategy than traditional methods for developing critical creative and self-regulatory skills in pre-service mathematics teachers, enhancing innovative thinking and metacognitive control, thus equipping educators for contemporary classroom demands.

Abstract Objective: This narrative review examines the emergence, psychological and social consequences, and mitigation strategies of cognitive dissonance in digital environments. As users increasingly encounter contradictory information, algorithmic content curation, and socially evaluative online spaces, cognitive dissonance has become a central factor shaping attitudes, behaviors, and patterns of digital engagement.
Method: Nineteen empirical and theoretical studies published between 2010 and 2024 were synthesized using a narrative review approach to identify core mechanisms, impacts, and explanatory models.
Results: Cognitive dissonance in digital contexts arises from informational conflict, cognitive–affective tension, social pressure, and algorithmic exposure. These mechanisms contribute to emotional strain, anxiety, information avoidance, polarization, and reduced dialogue quality. Three theoretical models—Expressed vs. Private Opinions, Social Network, and Social Evolution—explain how individual‑level dissonance can scale into collective and structural transformations. Although users employ strategies such as information management, cognitive literacy, and truth‑oriented messaging, many coping responses are short‑term and avoidance‑based.
Conclusions: Cognitive dissonance functions as a cumulative and evolving process in digital environments, influencing both individual well‑being and broader social dynamics. Future research should adopt longitudinal, cross‑cultural, and multi‑platform approaches and develop evidence‑based interventions to support healthier digital engagement.

Abstract Objective: The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of stress inoculation training on students’ academic buoyancy among students with academic stress. Method: The research employed an experimental design using a pretest–posttest with a control group. The study population consisted of all male tenth-grade students in the second cycle of secondary education in Ardabil city. From this population, using a cluster random sampling procedure, 40 students with academic stress were selected and randomly assigned to the experimental group (n=20) and the control group (n=20). Participants in the experimental group received eight sessions of stress inoculation training, while the control group participants continued with their usual routine. Data collection was conducted using the Academic Buoyancy Scale developed by Hossein Chari and Dehghani Zadeh (2012) and the Zajacova, Lynch & Espenshade Academic Stress Questionnaire (2005). Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS software. Results: The findings indicated that, in the posttest phase, students in the experimental group who experienced academic stress demonstrated significantly higher academic buoyancy than students in the control group. Accordingly, the research hypothesis asserting the effectiveness of stress inoculation training on the academic buoyancy of students with academic stress was supported. Conclusions: Therefore, it can be concluded that stress inoculation training is effective in increasing academic buoyancy among students with academic stress. Accordingly, stress inoculation training may be implemented in schools to enhance students’ academic buoyancy.