Enhancing Psychological Resources: Positive Thinking Training for Self-Esteem and Self-Efficacy in Male Secondary Students

Mahmoudi, Osman; Rahimi, Hasan; Saleh, Jabar

doi:10.22034/iepa.2026.564377.1560

Enhancing Psychological Resources: Positive Thinking Training for Self-Esteem and Self-Efficacy in Male Secondary Students

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Osman Mahmoudi

Hasan Rahimi

Jabar Saleh

Department of Psychology and Counselling, Farhangian University,Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22034/iepa.2026.564377.1560

Abstract

Objectives: Recent developments in positive psychology emphasize leveraging individual strengths to improve personal and academic outcomes. This study evaluated the effectiveness of structured group training in positive thinking on enhancing self-esteem and self-efficacy among male secondary school students in Javanrood.
Method: Employing a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest and a control group, the study involved 30 first-year male students selected through multistage random cluster sampling during 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 conducted twice weekly. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) via SPSS-21.
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. For self-esteem, a large effect size was observed (η²p = .18, F = 6.15, p < .05). For self-efficacy, a very large effect size was found (η²p = .35, F = 14.92, p < .01). 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. The large to very large effect sizes support the practical significance of the intervention beyond mere statistical significance. These interventions can be integrated into school counseling programs to support holistic students' development.

Keywords

Positive thinking training

Self-esteem

Self-efficacy

Male secondary school students

School counseling

Subjects

Learning

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Bandura, A. (2017). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. Journal of Cognitive Behavioral Psychology, 22(1), 123-140. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-017-9842-5

Bandura, A., Barbaranelli, C., Caprara, G. V., & Pastorelli, C. (2018). Self-efficacy beliefs as shapers of children’s aspirations and career trajectories. Child Development, 89(3), 934-949. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12855

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Dweck, C. S. (2019). The role of self-esteem in fostering academic resilience. Journal of Educational Psychology, 111(6), 1140-1150. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000345

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Herz, R. S., & Gulen, L. (2019). Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory: Psychometric properties in a diverse adolescent sample. Journal of Personality Assessment, 75(2), 172-183. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223891.2019.1576567

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Luszczynska, A., Scholz, U., & Schwarzer, R. (2020). The general self-efficacy scale: Multicultural validation studies. Journal of Psychology, 139(5), 439-457. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223980.2020.1515721

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Pajares, F. (2018). Motivational role of self-efficacy beliefs in the learning process. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 27(4), 287-292. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721417744521

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Roberts, B. W., & Mroczek, D. (2017). Positive thinking and lifespan development: The interaction of personality and cognitive approaches. Developmental Psychology, 53(12), 2315-2332. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000380

Rosenberg, M. (2018). Self-esteem and the evaluation of the self. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 114(2), 325-338. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000154

Schunk, D. H. (2017). Self-efficacy and academic motivation. Educational Psychologist, 52(2), 235-255. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2017.1310973

Schunk, D. H., & Pajares, F. (2002). The development of academic self-efficacy. In A. Wigfield & J. S. Eccles (Eds.), Development of achievement motivation (pp. 15-31). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-012750053-9/50009-8

Seligman, M. E., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2017). Positive psychology: An introduction. American Psychologist, 55(1), 5-14. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.5

Shadish, W. R., Cook, T. D., & Campbell, D. T. (2020). Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for generalized causal inference. Houghton Mifflin. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-2243-1_7

Sherer, M., & Adams, C. H. (2018). Construct validation of the self-efficacy scale. Psychological Reports, 63(3), 899-913. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1998.82.2.635

Smith, A., & Jones, B. (2019). The impact of technology on social cohesion: A global perspective. Journal of Social Psychology, 158(3), 221-231. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2018.1516181

Snyder, C. R., & Lopez, S. J. (2020). Positive psychology: The shift from mental illness to human flourishing. Journal of Positive Psychology, 15(2), 101-112. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2019.1685574

Taghizade, A., Rasouli, Y., & Hosseini Largani, M. (2023). The relationship among motivation, self-efficacy, community of inquiry and learning performance in online learning environments: A Path Analysis. Iranian Journal of Learning and Memory, 6(22), 54-66. https://doi.org/10.22034/iepa.2023.402466.1431

Tice, D. M., Baumeister, R. F., Shmueli, D., & Muraven, M. (2007). Restoring the self: Positive affect helps improve self-regulation following ego depletion. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 43(3), 379-384. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2006.05.007

Vuong, M., Brown-Welty, S., & Tracz, S. (2016). The effects of self-efficacy on academic success of first-generation college sophomore students. Journal of College Student Development, 57(8), 849-861. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2016.0096

Williams, K., & Davies, M. (2017). Promoting resilience in children through optimism training. Child and Adolescent Psychology Review, 25(2), 111-120. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-017-0245-4

Zeigler-Hill, V. (2016). The interpersonal nature of self-esteem: Do different measures of self-esteem possess similar interpersonal content? Journal of Research in Personality, 60, 51-59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2015.09.005

Zimmerman, B. J. (1995). Self-efficacy and educational development. In A. Bandura (Ed.), Self-efficacy in Changing Societies (pp. 202-231). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511527692.011

Zimmerman, B. J. (2019). The interplay of self-efficacy and self-esteem in achieving academic success. Educational Psychology Review, 31(4), 1125-1145. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09496-y

Volume 9, Issue 33
2026
Pages 35-48

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Iranian Journal of Learning and Memory

Enhancing Psychological Resources: Positive Thinking Training for Self-Esteem and Self-Efficacy in Male Secondary Students

Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. Freeman. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6988-1_3

Bandura, A. (2017). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. Journal of Cognitive Behavioral Psychology, 22(1), 123-140. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-017-9842-5

Bandura, A., Barbaranelli, C., Caprara, G. V., & Pastorelli, C. (2018). Self-efficacy beliefs as shapers of children’s aspirations and career trajectories. Child Development, 89(3), 934-949. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12855

Barati, M. (2019). Validation of Sherer’s Self-Efficacy Scale in Iranian context. Iranian Journal of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, 10(3), 221-230. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00312

Baumeister, R. F., Campbell, J. D., Krueger, J. I., & Vohs, K. D. (2003). Does high self-esteem cause better performance, interpersonal success, happiness, or healthier lifestyles? Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 4(1), 1-44. https://doi.org/10.1111/1529-1006.01431

Brown, C., & Lee, M. (2018). Digital immersion and the loss of identity in modern society. Techno Culture, 45(4), 295-310. https://doi.org/10.5749/tech.culture.45.4.0295

Coopersmith, S. (2020). Self-esteem inventories. Consulting Psychologists Press. https://doi.org/10.1037/t10237-000

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2017). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications. https://doi.org/10.1080/08989621.2019.1598891

Dweck, C. S. (2019). The role of self-esteem in fostering academic resilience. Journal of Educational Psychology, 111(6), 1140-1150. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000345

Ebrahimi Ghavam, S., Soroosh, Z., & Porhosein, M. (2024). Leveraging metacognitive approaches to improve educational performance. Iranian Journal of Learning and Memory, 7 (28), 5-24. DOI: http//doi.org/10.22034/IEPA.2025.526880.1537

Eden, D. (1990). Pygmalion without interpersonal contrast effects: Whole groups gain from raising manager expectations. Journal of Applied Psychology, 75(4), 394-398. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.75.4.394

Eysenck, H. J., & Eysenck, M. W. (2020). The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire: Reliability and validity across cultures. Personality and Individual Differences, 31(4), 567-578. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0191-8869(20)30113-2

Herz, R. S., & Gulen, L. (2019). Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory: Psychometric properties in a diverse adolescent sample. Journal of Personality Assessment, 75(2), 172-183. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223891.2019.1576567

Judge, T. A., Erez, A., Bono, J. E., & Thoresen, C. J. (2003). The core self-evaluations scale: Development of a measure. Personnel Psychology, 56(2), 303-331. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.2003.tb00152.x

Khodayari-Fard, M. (2019). Positive psychology and family dynamics: The impact of positive thinking on self-esteem and depression. Journal of Positive Psychology Interventions, 7(1), 45-54. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2019.1579354

Luszczynska, A., Scholz, U., & Schwarzer, R. (2020). The general self-efficacy scale: Multicultural validation studies. Journal of Psychology, 139(5), 439-457. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223980.2020.1515721

Maddux, J. E. (2020). Self-efficacy: The power of believing you can. In C. R. Snyder & S. J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology (3rd ed., pp. 277-287). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195187243.013.007

Morin, A. J. S., Maiano, C., Marsh, H. W., Nagengast, B., & Janosz, M. (2017). The longitudinal interplay of students’ self-esteem and perceived control over time: A test of a reciprocal-effect model. Journal of Educational Psychology, 109(5), 684-700. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000166

Orth, U., Erol, R. Y., & Luciano, E. C. (2018). Development of self-esteem from age 4 to 94 years: A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. Psychological Bulletin, 144(10), 1045-1080. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000171

Pajares, F. (2018). Motivational role of self-efficacy beliefs in the learning process. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 27(4), 287-292. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721417744521

Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. (2018). The role of mindset in personal growth. Annual Review of Psychology, 69, 237-264. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-122216-011732

Rezaeian, M., Seyyedrezaei, S., & Seyyedrezaei, Z. (2021). A study of motivation, self-efficacy beliefs and feelings as psychological factors among Iranian non-english PhD students in EPT. Iranian Journal of Learning & Memory, 4(14), 57-70. Dor: 20.1001.1.26455455.2021.4.13.9.9

Roberts, B. W., & Mroczek, D. (2017). Positive thinking and lifespan development: The interaction of personality and cognitive approaches. Developmental Psychology, 53(12), 2315-2332. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000380

Rosenberg, M. (2018). Self-esteem and the evaluation of the self. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 114(2), 325-338. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000154

Schunk, D. H. (2017). Self-efficacy and academic motivation. Educational Psychologist, 52(2), 235-255. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2017.1310973

Schunk, D. H., & Pajares, F. (2002). The development of academic self-efficacy. In A. Wigfield & J. S. Eccles (Eds.), Development of achievement motivation (pp. 15-31). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-012750053-9/50009-8

Seligman, M. E., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2017). Positive psychology: An introduction. American Psychologist, 55(1), 5-14. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.5

Shadish, W. R., Cook, T. D., & Campbell, D. T. (2020). Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for generalized causal inference. Houghton Mifflin. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-2243-1_7

Sherer, M., & Adams, C. H. (2018). Construct validation of the self-efficacy scale. Psychological Reports, 63(3), 899-913. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1998.82.2.635

Smith, A., & Jones, B. (2019). The impact of technology on social cohesion: A global perspective. Journal of Social Psychology, 158(3), 221-231. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2018.1516181

Snyder, C. R., & Lopez, S. J. (2020). Positive psychology: The shift from mental illness to human flourishing. Journal of Positive Psychology, 15(2), 101-112. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2019.1685574

Tice, D. M., Baumeister, R. F., Shmueli, D., & Muraven, M. (2007). Restoring the self: Positive affect helps improve self-regulation following ego depletion. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 43(3), 379-384. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2006.05.007

Vuong, M., Brown-Welty, S., & Tracz, S. (2016). The effects of self-efficacy on academic success of first-generation college sophomore students. Journal of College Student Development, 57(8), 849-861. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2016.0096

Williams, K., & Davies, M. (2017). Promoting resilience in children through optimism training. Child and Adolescent Psychology Review, 25(2), 111-120. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-017-0245-4

Zeigler-Hill, V. (2016). The interpersonal nature of self-esteem: Do different measures of self-esteem possess similar interpersonal content? Journal of Research in Personality, 60, 51-59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2015.09.005

Zimmerman, B. J. (1995). Self-efficacy and educational development. In A. Bandura (Ed.), Self-efficacy in Changing Societies (pp. 202-231). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511527692.011

Zimmerman, B. J. (2019). The interplay of self-efficacy and self-esteem in achieving academic success. Educational Psychology Review, 31(4), 1125-1145. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09496-y

Volume 9, Issue 33 2026Pages 35-48

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Volume 9, Issue 33
2026
Pages 35-48