The effectiveness of the philosophy program for children on the resilience and academic self-efficacy of male students deprived of having a father

Document Type : Scientific- research

Authors

Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Farhangian University, P.O. Box 14665-889, Tehran, Iran

10.30465/fabak.2025.9565

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of the philosophy program for children on the resilience and academic self-efficacy of male students deprived of having a father. This research was applied in terms of purpose and quantitative in terms of data collection method, which was carried out with a quasi-experimental method and nonequivalent control-group design. The research population of the research included all students of the second period of elementary school in Karaj city in the academic year of 1401-1402, which 30 male students deprived of having a father were selected as a sample with using the available sampling method and were assigned to two experimental and control groups by a simple random method with lottery (each group 15 people). Before the intervention, students' resilience was measured by the Connor and Davidson questionnaire (2003) and their academic self-efficacy was also measured by the Morgan and Jinks questionnaire (1999). Then, the experimental group received the philosophy program for children for ten sessions of two hours and at the end, the post-test was conducted for both groups. Data analysis was done using univariate and multivariate analysis of covariance test. The research findings showed; philosophy program for children significantly increased the resilience and academic self-efficacy of male students deprived of having a father. As a result, this program can be used as a suitable solution to improve the resilience and academic self-efficacy of students deprived of having a father.
Keywords: Resilience, Academic Self-efficacy, Philosophy for Children, Male Students Deprived of Having a Father, Philosophical Exploration Circle.
 
Introduction
Deprivation of a father can create difficulties, responsibilities and challenges for male students aged 9 to 12 years, which are inevitable to deal with in order to maintain health, adaptation and continued growth. Resilience is an acquired construct defined as a person's ability to return or transition from hardships. Another possible negative consequence of father deprivation on male students can be the occurrence of academic problems and low academic self-efficacy. Philosophy for children as a practical program to develop judgment and moral, critical and creative thinking is able to help male students deprived of having a father to become empowered in solving their personal and social problems.
 
Materials and methods
The present research is among the quantitative researches in terms of practical purpose and in terms of data collection method, which was carried out using a quasi-experimental method based on a nonequivalent control- group design. The implementation steps of this project include the random replacement of research subjects in experimental and control groups, performing the pre-test in both groups, performing the philosophy program for children only in the experimental group, and at the end of the post-test in both groups. The statistical population of the research included all the students deprived of a father (due to death, divorce and leaving the family) in the second period of elementary school in Karaj city. Using available sampling method, 30 male students deprived of having a father were selected from the primary schools of education in the fourth district and divided into two experimental and control groups (15 people in each group) by Simple random appointment with the help of a lottery. Data collection tools include Connor- Davidson (2003) resilience questionnaire and Morgan & Jinks (1999) academic self-efficacy questionnaire.
 
Discussion & Result
The research findings show; The level of resilience for the control group in the pre-test stage has an average of 14.85 and in the post-test stage it has an average of 14.99. In the experimental group, in the pre-test stage, it has an average of 14.22 and in the post-test stage, it has an average of 17.46. Therefore, the average post-test resilience scores have been increasing compared to the pre-exam average in the experimental group, which indicates the impact of the implementation of the philosophy program for children on the resilience of male students deprived of having a father. Regarding the components of resilience, the findings of the research show that the implementation of philosophy for children has a positive and significant effect on the level of individual competence and tenacity, trust in the instincts of bearing negative emotions, acceptance of positive change and secure relationships, degree of control and spirituality of father-deprived elementary school students.
      Another finding of the research shows that academic self-efficacy in the control group has an average of 9.83 in the pre-test stage and 9.88 in the post-test stage. In the experimental group, this average is 9.62 in the pre-test stage and 12.53 in the post-test stage. The above data shows an increase in the average scores of academic self-efficacy in the students of the experimental group in the post-test stage compared to the pre-test stage, which shows the effectiveness of the implementation of the philosophy program for children. Regarding the components of academic self-efficacy, the findings of the research show that the implementation of the philosophy program for children has a positive and significant effect on the level of talent, effort and context of father-deprived students in elementary school.
 
Conclusion
The research results showed; The implementation of the philosophy program for children has an effect on the resilience and academic self-efficacy of male students deprived of having a father in elementary school. In explaining the above result, it can be said; The implementation of the philosophy program for children by changing the teacher-centered environment of the classroom to a collaborative and dialogue-based environment based on philosophical exploration, by cultivating the students' thinking skills, has prepared them to be successful in facing real life issues and problems by promoting resilience and in academic and school matters, while identifying and discovering their talent, they will achieve self-efficacy in education by increasing efforts.
      Other research results show; the implementation of the philosophy program for children has a positive and significant effect on the resilience components of father-deprived students in elementary school. In explaining the above result, it can be said; philosophical exploration circles strengthen students' mental imagery and cognitive and metacognitive skills by telling philosophical and informative stories. Then, through discussions about the concepts and topics of each story and relating it to the real issues in the society, it makes the students identify with the main character of the story who faces obstacles to achieve her desires and be forced to search for possible solutions to solve the obstacles to fulfill their wishes through collaborative collective thinking. Another result of the research shows the significant positive effect of implementing the philosophy program for children on the components of academic self-efficacy of male students deprived of having a father in elementary school. In the end, it can be concluded that the implementation of the philosophy program for children has a positive and significant effect on the resilience and academic self-efficacy of male students deprived of having a father in elementary school.
 

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References

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Thinking and Children
Volume 15, Issue 2 - Serial Number 30
Autumn and Winter 2024-2025
December 2024

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