Social and Emotional Development Support Program for Adolescents: Effects on Belonging, Meaning in Life, Authenticity, Well-Being, and Resilience

An Examination of the Effects of the Social and Emotional Development Support Program on Adolescents' Sense of Belonging, Meaning in Life, Emotional Authenticity, Well-Being, and Psychological Resilience

This study aims to examine the effectiveness of the Social and Emotional Developmental Support Program on adolescents' sense of belonging, meaning in life, emotional authenticity, well-being, and resilience. The study will be conducted with 9th-grade students studying in Defne district of Hatay, Türkiye, one of the regions affected by the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquake that occurred on February 6, 2023. A pre-test/post-test control group experimental design will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the program.

This study aims to examine the effects of the Social and Emotional Developmental Support Program, which will be implemented with ninth-grade students studying in the Defne district of Hatay, on adolescents' sense of belonging, meaning in life, emotional authenticity, well-being, and resilience. The research will be carried out with adolescents living in Defne, one of the districts of Hatay most affected by the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquake that occurred in Türkiye on February 6, 2023. The study is designed as a pre-test/post-test control group experimental design. Participants will be randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group will receive the Social and Emotional Developmental Support Program, whereas no intervention will be provided to the control group during the study period. Data will be collected using a demographic information form and standardized instruments assessing adolescents' sense of belonging, meaning in life, emotional authenticity, well-being, and resilience. The findings are expected to contribute to the social and emotional development of adolescents affected by the earthquake and to enrich the existing body of literature.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adolescents aged between 14 and 15 years
• Ninth-grade students enrolled in public high schools located in the Defne district of Hatay
• Individuals who resided in the Defne district on February 6, 2023
• Students who voluntarily agree to participate and whose parental consent has been obtained
• Students who are able to attend all program sessions regularly

Exclusion Criteria:

• Students who did not reside in the Defne district on February 6, 2023
• Students with special educational needs or those reported by school counselors or parents to have developmental or psychiatric diagnoses
• Students who are simultaneously participating in another psychosocial intervention program
• Students with cognitive limitations that prevent them from completing the study assessments