Social-emotional competence, social adequacy, and self-regulation among Iranian female high school students

Abstract

The research aimed to investigate the association between social-emotional competence and social adequacy with the self-regulation of female high school students in Tehran. The sample of the current study consisted of 250 female participants from the student community in different educational areas of Tehran, who were selected using the multi-stage cluster sampling method. The measurement tools were: The social-emotional competence scale, the social adequacy scale and the self-regulation questionnaire. The findings revealed a positive association between social-emotional competence, social adequacy, and self-regulation among Iranian female students. Resulted of regression analysis showed that self-regulation was positively predicted by social-emotional competence and social adequacy. Enhancing social competence, particularly in emotional and psychological aspects, can improve students’ adaptation and well-being. This can help prevent issues such as social rejection, substance abuse, and depression in both their school environment and future personal and professional lives. Additionally, it is important to implement various intervention programs targeting parents and teachers to raise awareness about social-emotional competence and social adequacy in adolescent girls, as well as strategies for fostering these skills. This will improve their mental health and help prevent the development of various addictive behaviors