Thesis:

The effect of indigenous-local games on social behavior and social-emotional competence of sixth-grade female students in Sabzevar city

The primary aim of this research was to investigate the effect of an intervention program based on local-native games on the social behavior and social-emotional competence of sixth-grade female students in Sabzevar, Iran. This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test/post-test and a control group, categorizing it as applied research in terms of its purpose. The statistical population comprised all sixth-grade female students in Sabzevar during the 2024-2025 academic year. A sample of 30 students was selected via multi-stage cluster sampling and randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n=15) or the control group (n=15). Data were collected using the Teenage Inventory of Social Skills (Inderbitzen & Foster, 1992) and the Social-Emotional Competence Questionnaire (Zhou & Chi, 2012). The experimental group participated in a structured program of local-native games, while the control group followed their regular curriculum. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) in SPSS software. The statistical analyses revealed a significant increase in the post-test mean scores for the experimental group. The results of ANCOVA indicated a significant positive effect of the intervention on both social-emotional competence (F(1,56)=12.701,p=0.001,?p2=0.185) and social behavior (F(1,56)=248.80,p<0.001,?p2=0.816). Furthermore, the overall interaction effect of the intervention on the linear combination of the dependent variables was statistically significant (Wilks' Lambda = 0.001, p < 0.001), confirming all research hypotheses. The findings of this study provide robust empirical evidence that local-native games, as an effective, low-cost, and culturally-congruent educational strategy, can significantly enhance students' social behavior and social-emotional competence. Therefore, the integration of these games into school curricula and extracurricular activities is strongly recommended for fostering a psychologically and socially competent generation

Keywords: Local-Native Games, Social Behavior, Social-Emotional Competence, Female Students, Primary School.