The effectiveness of problem-solving skills training on self-regulation and academic stress in secondary school students

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of problem-solving skills training on self-regulation and academic stress in high school students. The research method was quasi-experimental with pre-test and post-test design with control group. The statistical population of this study included the first high school students of the 16th district of Tehran and the sampling was selected by simple random method of 60 people. The problem-solving skills training program was effective for 8 two-hour sessions over two months for the experimental group. To collect information, the Conventional Self-Regulation Educational Questionnaire (1987) and the Educational Stress Questionnaire (Berman et al., 2009) were used. To analyze the data, mean descriptive statistics and standard deviation and inferential statistics of Lon test, Kolmogorov Smirnov, analysis of covariance were used. The results of this study indicate that there is a statistically significant difference between academic self-regulation and pre- and post-intervention academic stress. There is a significant difference between the subscales of academic self-regulation (external self-regulation, internal self-regulation, cognitive self-regulation, and internal motivation). (p <0.001). And there is a significant difference under the scales of academic stress (ambiguity in homework, academic costliness, academic style, educational program incompatibility, academic evaluation) (p <0.001) and it can be concluded that the intervention program is problem solving skills training. It can be effective in increasing academic self-regulation and reducing students' academic stress.