Effectiveness of Resilience Training on Risky Behaviors and Anxiety Among Adolescents in the Juvenile Correction and Rehabilitation Center of Kerman

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of resilience training in reducing risky behaviors and anxiety among male adolescents residing in the Juvenile Correction and Rehabilitation Center of Kerman. This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest–posttest control-group design. The statistical population comprised all male adolescents residing in the Juvenile Correction and Rehabilitation Center of Kerman in 2024. Thirty eligible adolescents were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group, with 15 participants in each group. The inclusion criteria were an age range of 12–18 years, basic reading and writing literacy, absence of severe psychological disorders, and willingness to participate. The experimental group received resilience training based on Henderson’s protocol in eight 90-minute sessions held twice weekly, whereas the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using the Iranian Adolescents Risk-Taking Scale and the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale. Multivariate and univariate analyses of covariance were conducted using SPSS version 26. The multivariate analysis indicated that, after controlling for pretest scores, a significant difference existed between the experimental and control groups in the combined dependent variables of risky behaviors and anxiety (F=38.12, p<0.001, η²=0.746). The univariate analysis of covariance demonstrated that resilience training significantly reduced risky behaviors in the experimental group compared with the control group (F=35.28, p<0.001, η²=0.517). Moreover, adolescents in the experimental group reported significantly lower anxiety following the intervention than those in the control group (F=28.98, p<0.001, η²=0.528). Resilience training may reduce risky behaviors and anxiety among adolescents in juvenile correctional settings by strengthening self-awareness, self-efficacy, problem-solving skills, emotional regulation, and impulse control. Accordingly, incorporating structured resilience training into rehabilitation programs is recommended as a preventive and empowerment-oriented intervention for vulnerable adolescents.