Background and Purpose: The results of the studies indicate that a set of emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and social elements plays a role in the emotional-social development. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of social-emotional competence training on problem solving, aggression and optimism of students with low economic socio-economic status.
Method: The research method was semi-experimental with pretest-post-test and control group. The statistical population consisted of all female high school students with low socioeconomic status in Babol in 1395. Among them, 30 students were selected through cluster random sampling from less-favored schools and assigned in two experimental and control groups (15 students each). For collecting data, Buss and Perry's aggression questionnaire (1992), Social Problem Solving (D’Zurilla & et al, 2002) and life orientation test (Scheier & Carver, 1994) were used. The experimental group received the social emotional competency program for 9 sessions of 90 minutes, but the control group did not receive any interventions.
Results: The results of multivariate analysis of covariance showed that there was a significant difference between the scores of aggression, social solving and optimism in the experimental and control groups (P <0.05).
Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, the training of emotional social competence with increasing students' ability to identify, express and regulate emotions has reduced aggressive behaviors and increased problem solving.