Thesis:

The effectiveness of assertiveness training on social .adjustment .and psychological capital in girls aged 7 to 12 in Mashhad

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of assertiveness training on social adjustment and psychological capital of 7-12 year old unaccompanied and abused girls in Mashhad. The study was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The statistical population included all unaccompanied and abused girls in Mashhad who attended welfare centers in Mashhad. The statistical sample of the study included 32 unaccompanied and abused girls who were selected by convenience, taking into account the probability of dropout and the inclusion criteria for the study, and were divided into two control and experimental groups. Data collection tools included the California Social Adjustment Questionnaire (Clark et al. 1953) and the Luthans Psychological Capital Questionnaire (2007), whose validity and reliability have been confirmed in previous studies. The assertiveness training program was implemented based on the educational protocol of Harris et al. (2011) and included training in effective communication skills, expressing emotions, resolving conflict, and increasing self-confidence in the form of group sessions. After data collection, the effect of assertiveness training on the research variables was examined using analysis of covariance. The results showed that assertiveness training had a significant effect on social adjustment and psychological capital of orphaned and abused girls (p < 0.05). In other words, the experimental group that received training had a higher level of social adjustment and psychological capital than the control group. These findings indicate the importance of teaching assertiveness skills in strengthening the psychological and social abilities of vulnerable children. Given the limitations of the study, including the limited sample size, self-reported data, and conducting the study in a specific city, it is suggested that assertiveness training programs be expanded in welfare centers and family environments and that similar studies be conducted in other age groups and geographical areas to increase the

Keywords: generalizability of the results. Keywords: assertiveness, social adjustment, psychological capital,