Psychoeducational Program Research Articles

Parent-Mediated Autism Intervention Through a Culturally Informed Lens: Parents Taking Action and Pivotal Response Training with Latine Families

Background/Objectives: The prevalence of autism has increased substantially among Latine children; however, few service systems are prepared to provide culturally relevant services. Parents Taking Action (PTA) is a culturally informed parent-mediated psychoeducation program designed to meet the informational needs of Latine families with children with autism. The purpose of this study was to pilot a hybrid model of intervention by including direct parent coaching through pivotal response training (PRT) along with PTA among Latina mothers of children with autism. Methods: Ten Latina mothers of children eight years of age with autism participated in this study. The mothers received PTA from two bilingual trained promotoras (community health workers). PTA provided 14 2 h psychoeducation sessions. The mothers also received four one-hour sessions of PRT from bilingual/bicultural coaches. Results: Paired samples t-tests indicated significant increases in the families’ outcomes, their self-efficacy in using the intervention strategies, and their frequency of using strategies, from pre- to post-test. Conclusions: This study suggests that culturally informed parent-mediated autism intervention coupled with parent coaching positively affects family outcomes among Latine families of children with autism.

The Effectiveness of a Synchronous Online Mindfulness-Based Intervention on the Attentional Control and Mindfulness of Turkish Late Adolescents: A Mixed Methods Study

The primary goal of this study was to examine the effects of a synchronous online mindfulness-based psychoeducation program on attentional control and mindfulness levels of Turkish late adolescents and the intervention experiences of the participants. A sample of adolescents ( n = 40, Mage 16.7) was randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. There were 10 participants in each four groups. The embedded design with a convergent approach was used. The quantitive data were obtained using the Solomon four group design while the qualitative data were obtained with phenomenological approach. The mindfulness-based intervention consisting of eight sessions and seven workshops was applied online to the experimental groups. The findings revealed that the attentional control and mindfulness levels of the adolescents in the experimental groups were significantly higher compared to the adolescents in the control groups. Regarding the qualitative findings, the adolescents stated that there were improvements in their levels of attentional control, regulating emotions, self-knowledge, self-confidence, optimism, effective communication skills, academic achievement and motivation to study after the program. The findings of the follow-up test showed that improvements in attentional control and mindfulness levels of the adolescents persisted for 8 weeks. The findings showed that the mindfulness-based intervention is a promising tool for late adolescents.

“Discover your potential to raise your children”: A psychoeducational infancy parenting intervention in Spain

AbstractBackgroundThe quality of parenting has a significant impact on healthy development across the life cycle. Recent research has highlighted the financial return of evidence‐based parenting programs that are well designed and implemented.ObjectiveTo analyze the impact of a psychoeducational guidance intervention program aimed at improving parenting skills.MethodThirty‐five families with children aged between 0 and 3.5 years referred from the educational, social, and health departments of the Vitoria‐Gasteiz City Council (Spain) participated in the study. Using a longitudinal approach, the intervention took place over the course of three home visits: initial pretest assessment visit, feedback and orientation visit, and a final posttest assessment visit.ResultsStatistically significant pretest–posttest differences were observed in parenting skills, including cognitive and socio‐emotional development scaffolding, parental self‐efficacy, parental adaptive stress, and diversity of experiences.ConclusionsSeveral areas for improvement were detected in the context of an intervention based on customized guidance for individual families. The implementation process indicated issues to be improved in future program editions.ImplicationsOur findings provide family and public health policy makers with empirical support for the implementation of parenting programs designed to help families to acquire and improve parenting competencies to foster their children's comprehensive development, focused on the period between 0 and 3.5 years of life. Results of the study favor the propagation among Spanish professionals who work with families of the use of quality standards of the evidence‐based approach related to quality of implementation and assessment of the impact of parenting programs.

Effect of a psychoeducation program based on cognitive-behavioral psychodrama techniques on premenstrual syndrome symptoms: a randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT Premenstrual syndrome is characterized by physical and psychological symptoms that negatively affect daily functioning. This study investigated the effect of a psychoeducation program based on cognitive-behavioral psychodrama techniques on premenstrual syndrome symptoms. This study utilized a 2 × 2 pretest-posttest, experimental-control group research design. The sample consisted of 32 participants randomized into experimental (n = 16) and control (n = 16) groups. The experimental group participated in a seven-session psychoeducation program based on cognitive-behavioral psychodrama techniques. Data were collected using a personal information questionnaire and the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale (PMSS). The experimental group demonstrated a significantly lower median posttest PMSS total and ‘depressive affect’, ‘fatigue’, ‘irritability’, ‘depressive thoughts’, ‘changes in appetite’ and ‘changes in sleeping habits’ subscale scores than the pretest score (p < .05). Moreover, the experimental group had a significantly lower median posttest ‘anxiety’ score than the control group (p = .021). A psychoeducational program based on cognitive-behavioral and psychodrama techniques can be used as an effective therapeutic intervention to relieve or managing premenstrual symptoms.

The effect of social cognitive theory based group psychoeducation program on the self-regulated learning skills and academic achievement of high school students

In this study, it was aimed to design a group psychoeducation program based on social cognitive theory to improve the self-regulated learning skills of high school students and to examine the effect of this program on the students' self-regulated learning skills and academic achievement. This research is a quasi-experimental study in which the pre-test, post-test and follow-up test results of the experimental and control groups are compared. A total of 32 volunteer students from an Anatolian High School in Turkey were randomly assigned to the experimental (n:16) or control group (n:16). The research data were obtained with personal information form and Self-regulated Learning Skills Scale. In the study, participants in the experimental group were included in an eight session psychoeducation program, while the control group was not included in any program. A psychoeducational program was applied to the students in the experimental group, with sessions held once a week for 60 minutes. A posttest was conducted following the completion of the group sessions, and a follow-up test was administered four months later to both groups. Analysis of variance (Anova), analysis of covariance (Ancova), t-test for related and independent samples were used to analyse the study data. As a result of the study, it was found that the group psychoeducation programme applied to the experimental group was effective in developing students' self-regulatory learning skills and this effect continued in the follow-up test. It was also found to be effective in increasing academic achievement. The results reveal that a group psychoeducation program based on social cognitive theory can be used to develop high school students' self-regulation skills and increase their academic success.

The Effect of Interventions on Quality of Life, Depression, and the Burden of Care of Stroke Patients and Their Caregivers: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: The impact of stroke is a global concern for health policymakers. A large proportion of survivors require long-term support from family members who are typically unprepared for their caregiving duties. This study determined the effect of different interventions on quality of life (QoL), depression, and the burden of care of stroke patients and their caregivers. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted from 2000 up to May 2023. Study inclusion criteria were as follows: individuals serving as informal caregivers for stroke survivors 18 years and older, devoting a significant portion of their time to the care of such survivors; involvement in psychoeducational, informational, supportive, psychosocial, or combined interventions; exposure to standard or conventional care practices; evaluation of outcomes relating to the QoL for stroke caregivers, depression, caregiver burden, and levels of stroke survivors; and consideration of randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies. RESULTS: Thirty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria and were synthesized in this systematic review. Details of intervention were divided into 3 groups: educational and psychoeducational programs, multidisciplinary approaches, and support and caregiver skill-building programs; 12 studies focused on different interventions affecting the QoL, 23 studies focused on the burden of stroke caregivers, and 20 studies focused on depression of stroke patients and their caregivers. CONCLUSION: The desired effectiveness of particular interventions was evident in the results, although conflicting findings have emerged. The study emphasizes the need for well-structured preliminary studies for each intervention type. More studies on interventions and outcomes might lead secondary researchers to conduct analyses to ensure the certainty of results.

“Salud Mamaria”: An Internet-Based Psychoeducational Program During the Breast Cancer Diagnosis Process – Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

“Salud Mamaria”: An Internet-Based Psychoeducational Program During the Breast Cancer Diagnosis Process – Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

Hypoglycaemia Prevention, Awareness of Symptoms, and Treatment (HypoPAST): protocol for a 24-week hybrid type 1 randomised controlled trial of a fully online psycho-educational programme for adults with type 1 diabetes

BackgroundManagement of type 1 diabetes (T1D) requires the use of insulin, which can cause hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose levels). While most hypoglycaemic episodes can be self-treated, all episodes can be sudden, inconvenient, challenging to prevent or manage, unpleasant and/or cause unwanted attention or embarrassment. Severe hypoglycaemic episodes, requiring assistance from others for recovery, are rare but potentially dangerous. Repeated exposure to hypoglycaemia can reduce classic warning symptoms (‘awareness’), thereby increasing risk of severe episodes. Thus, fear of hypoglycaemia is common among adults with T1D and can have a negative impact on how they manage their diabetes, as well as on daily functioning, well-being and quality of life. While advances in glycaemic technologies and group-based psycho-educational programmes can reduce fear, frequency and impact of hypoglycaemia, they are not universally or freely available, nor do they fully resolve problematic hypoglycaemia or associated worries. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of a fully online, self-directed, scalable, psycho-educational intervention for reducing fear of hypoglycaemia: the Hypoglycaemia Prevention, Awareness of Symptoms, and Treatment (HypoPAST) programme.MethodsA 24-week, two-arm, parallel-group, hybrid type 1 randomised controlled trial, conducted remotely (online and telephone). Australian adults (≥ 18 years) with self-reported T1D and fear of hypoglycaemia will be recruited, and allocated at random (1:1) to HypoPAST or control (usual care). The primary outcome is the between-group difference in fear of hypoglycaemia (assessed using HFS-II Worry score) at 24 weeks. A sample size of N = 196 is required to detect a 9-point difference, with 90% power and allowing for 30% attrition. Multiple secondary outcomes include self-reported psychological, behavioural, biomedical, health economic, and process evaluation data. Data will be collected at baseline, 12 and 24 weeks using online surveys, 2-week ecological momentary assessments, website analytics and semi-structured interviews.DiscussionThis study will provide evidence regarding the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and acceptability of a novel, online psycho-educational programme: HypoPAST. Due to the fully online format, HypoPAST is expected to provide an inexpensive, convenient, accessible and scalable solution for reducing fear of hypoglycaemia among adults with T1D.Trial registrationAustralian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR): ACTRN12623000894695 (21 August 2023).

Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being Among Adolescent Young Carers in Europe: A Cross-National Randomized Controlled Trial Study.

This cross-national study focuses on adolescents who provide care and support to family members or significant others. Current evidence regarding their mental health and solutions to strengthen it is limited and mostly available in a few countries. The aim of this study is to evaluate the results of a primary prevention intervention for improving the mental health and well-being of adolescent young carers (AYCs) aged 15-17 years in six European countries. The intervention was based on a psychoeducational program and tools adapted from the Discoverer, Noticer, Advisor, and Values (DNA-V) model. We designed a randomized controlled trial with 217 AYCs participating in the study, either in the intervention or control group. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected via questionnaires at baseline, post-intervention, and a 3-month follow up. The results were mixed, as positive improvements in primary (i.e., psychological well-being and skills) and secondary (school/training/work functioning) outcomes were shown by the experimental group but, in most cases, they were not statistically significant. The qualitative data supported positive claims about the intervention and its appropriateness for AYCs. The study implementation during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic forced the consortium to adapt the design and may have influenced the results. More long-term studies are needed to assess similar mental health programs with this hard-to-reach target group.

Mental health awareness intervention for junior high school students in Jakarta

Purpose: Adolescence is a time of significant physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral upheaval, making teenagers susceptible to experiencing difficulties. With a limited number of professionals available to address the escalating trend of mental health problems, there is growing interest in preventive measures. This study aims to evaluate the impact of a two-hour educational program aimed at promoting mental health awareness among junior high school students in Jakarta. Method: A one-group post-test only design was carried out in providing psychoeducational activities regarding adolescent development, mental health, and help-seeking behavior. Seventy-three students participated in this activity, selected purposively. Result: The findings from this research demonstrate that the students' comprehension of mental health and their willingness to seek help improved significantly after participating in a psychoeducation program. Conclusion: Understanding and promoting mental health awareness and literacy among adolescents has been shown to be effective through education on their world, mental health, and help-seeking behavior.

Physical Activity in young female outpatients with BORderline personality Disorder (PABORD): a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial (RCT)

BackgroundCurrent treatments for mental disorders, like pharmacotherapy or psychological approaches, do not lead to full remission in all individuals. Physical activity (PA) is effective at improving psycho-physical health in major depressive and anxiety disorders. However, the efficacy of PA as an adjunctive treatment for borderline personality disorder (BPD) has not been studied. To date, there are no approved pharmacological treatments for this severe condition and limited accessibility to effective psychotherapeutic interventions. This study tests the efficacy of a structured PA programme as an additional treatment for BPD outpatients.MethodsThe PABORD is a randomised controlled trial for female outpatients (18–40 years) with a BPD diagnosis. The intervention group (n = 32) will participate in a 12-week structured PA programme supervised by a sport medicine physician and preceded by three psychoeducation sessions on healthy eating habits. The control group (n = 32) will receive a 12-week psychoeducation programme on PA, diet, and health risks of a sedentary lifestyle for a total of 8 sessions. The study aims to determine if the PA intervention is superior to the control in reducing BPD symptoms. Secondary aims include improving PA levels and physical and psychological health. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, post-intervention, and 3 months post-intervention.DiscussionThe structured PA programme is expected to outperform the control group in terms of health and PA outcomes at the end of the intervention. Repeated assessments will also help to identify psychosocial factors that influence PA maintenance. Findings will support the potential widespread implementation of PA programmes for BPD treatment.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT06461104. Registered on 6 June 2024 {2a}.

The Correlates of Psychological Resilience in Turkish Adolescents During The COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review

Adolescents, already in a vulnerable state due to the challenges of adolescence, were among risk groups to develop psychosocial and emotional problems during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research conducted with adolescents identified psychological resilience as one of the protective factors which helped them cope better with pandemic-related adversities. The aim of this systematic review is to determine the correlates of Turkish adolescents’ psychological resilience to gain a better understanding of its protective role during the pandemic. Using the related keywords (Turkish adolescents, students, psychological resilience, COVID-19 Pandemic) and limiting the publication period as 2020-2024, a database search was conducted, in which 340 articles were identified. 10 articles that met the eligibility criteria were included in the systematic review. By reviewing the articles systematically, doing exercise, emotional flexibility, spirituality, hope, parental and peer support, financial support, psycho-education programs supporting pandemic-specific coping, and certain personality traits including openness to new experience, extraversion, conscientiousness, and agreeableness were identified as variables that are positively correlated with psychological resilience. On the other hand, fear of COVID-19, anxiety, depression, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), smartphone addiction, playing digital games, online education, exam anxiety and neuroticism are variables that have negative correlation with psychological resilience. Based on the results, it appears that during the COVID-19 pandemic, psychological resilience, in relation with other individual and social/contextual protective factors, functioned as a psychological buffer against psychological problems for Turkish adolescents.

Quality of Life and Appraisal Factors of Patients with Advanced Cancer and Their Family Caregivers.

Few existing interventions have effectively improved the quality of life (QOL) for patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers, partly due to limited research on the factors associated with QOL. Guided by an adapted stress-coping model, this study aimed to examine the associations between the QOL of cancer patients and their caregivers and their primary and secondary appraisals. Primary appraisals involve perceptions and evaluations of advanced cancer and related caregiving, while secondary appraisals relate to their available resources and coping capabilities. Using multi-level modeling, we conducted a secondary analysis of the baseline data collected from a randomized clinical trial that examined the effects of a family-based, psychoeducational support program for patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers (N = 362 dyads). The appraisal variables hypothesized in the adapted stress-coping model explained 74.14% of the variance in the QOL of patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers when controlling for demographics and other disease-related variables. Better QOL in patients and caregivers was associated with less negative appraisals of illness/caregiving, less uncertainty and hopelessness, less avoidant coping strategies, more family support, more health behaviors, higher self-efficacy, and more active coping strategies. Our study highlights the significant impact that advanced cancer has on patients and their caregivers' perceptions, responses to the illness, and QOL. It also highlights that effective interventions may need to target illness/caregiving appraisals, uncertainty, hopelessness, family support, health behaviors, self-efficacy, and coping strategies tailored to patient and caregiver needs.

"This Is Me" an Awareness-Raising and Anti-Stigma Program for Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Pre-Post Intervention Study.

Stigma education for nursing students has focused solely on stigma reduction, with studies showing temporary improvements in attitudes. However, nursing education research should also emphasize the importance of critical reflection and self-reflection to enhance attitudes, beliefs, topic comprehension, and learning satisfaction. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the "This is me" intervention regarding knowledge, attitudes, and communication skills of senior undergraduate nursing students in responding to mental illness-related stigma. This study employed a psychoeducational intervention for reducing mental illness stigma, using a questionnaire survey to assess pre- and post-intervention effects, with 37 eligible nursing students undergoing clinical training in psychiatric services between 16 May and 15 July 2022. Instruments included sociodemographic and health questions, the MICA-4 scale to evaluate students' attitudes toward mental illness, the MAKS to measure mental health knowledge, the Empathy Scale (JSPE-S), the Intergroup Anxiety Scale (SS-12), and the Attribution Questionnaire (AQ-27). Most students were female (73.0%) and single (70.3%), with a mean age of around 29 years. After implementing the psychoeducational program, there was a statistically significant increase in overall stigma-related knowledge (MAKS: Z = -1.99, p < 0.05), a decrease in intergroup anxiety (IAS: Z = -3.42, p < 0.05), and reductions in the perceptions of patients as dangerous (AQ27-Dangerousness: Z = -2.399, p < 0.05) and fear (AQ27-Fear: Z = -2.415, p < 0.05). Additionally, there was an improvement in empathy, specifically in Perspective Taking (JSPE: Z = -2.555, p < 0.05). This program may contribute to mental health literacy related to stigma, positively impacting therapeutic relationships and communication with people with mental illness and resulting in more effective care practices.

The Mediation Role of Coping With Stress in the Relationship Between Psychological Flexibility and Posttraumatic Growth in Cancer Patients.

Objectives: Active and adaptive coping strategies have been identified as factors that can assist cancer patients in effectively managing and overcoming the crisis, leading to the potential for post-traumatic growth during the diagnosis and treatment stages. Psychological flexibility is another factor that can protect individuals and promote more adaptive reactions to traumatic situations. The study aims to examine the investigation of the mediation role of coping with stress in the relationship between psychological flexibility and posttraumatic growth in cancer patients. Methods: This study was conducted with 97 (63 women, 34 male) participants aged between 38 and 82 who are literate and diagnosed with breast cancer or gynecological cancers (endometrial, cervical, vulvar) undergoing radiotherapy planning at the Radiation Oncology Clinic of Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University Hospital. Demographic Information Form, Psychological Flexibility Scale, Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory, and Coping Styles Scale were applied to the participants. The mediation effects were interpreted using bootstrap confidence intervals and VAF values. Results: This study showed that the active coping styles partially mediated the relationship between psychological flexibility and posttraumatic growth. Conclusion: In this regard, by organizing psychoeducational programs and interventions aimed at increasing psychological flexibility for individuals diagnosed with cancer or undergoing treatment, individuals can be enabled to cope with stress more actively, and thus post-traumatic growth can be achieved.

Effects of occupational health promotion interventions on health-related outcomes among employees of small businesses and self-employed individuals: A systematic review.

Compared to workers of larger companies it is less clear what health promoting interventions might be beneficial for employees of small businesses and self-employed individuals. Our aim was to critically appraise trials investigating health promotion programs among small business workers and self-employed individuals, by means of a systematic review. We conducted a search of primary studies using MEDLINE, Web of Science, LIVIVO and the Cochrane library. Our assessment followed the recommendations of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions and PRISMA. We identified six trials including 5,854 participants from Asia, North America and Australia. Most were of moderate methodological quality, only one was of low quality. Some of the supervised psycho-educational lifestyle programs focusing on individual behavior changes showed benefits in terms of stress reduction and increased physical activity levels among small enterprise employees. There is a huge knowledge gap on evidence-based health promotion interventions for self-employed and for small business workers, especially in Europe.

A review of online and gamified psychoeducational interventions for children with neurodevelopmental disorders and their parents

Background. Children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) are impacted in their emotional, cognitive, social, and/or motor development. They, along with their relatives, confront multifaceted challenges. Psychoeducation as an evidence-based intervention providing support and education, would play a crucial role to facilitate their daily live and disorders’ progress. In the emerging digital world, online and gamified psychoeducation has gained increasing traction since they offer a better engagement and accessibility. However, there is a discrepancy between the number of digital psychoeducation programs and those with clinical evidence-basis. The present work aims at reviewing evidence-based interventions for neurodevelopmental disorders, targeting both children and/or parents. Methods. A systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane was conducted with keywords related to “neurodevelopmental disorders”, “psychoeducation”, “online and digital interventions”, and no publication date restrictions. Inclusion criteria involved studies on psychoeducation for parents or children using online platforms or gamified designs. Results. Out of the initial 70 articles, only 8 met inclusion criteria. Limited number of the publications showed that psychoeducation is a recent area of research for neurodevelopmental disorders. Reported results converged to support that technology and gamification in psychoeducational interventions stimulate children’s interest and improve outcomes for children with neurodevelopmental disorders and their parents. Discussion. While digital psychoeducational interventions are promising for children and parents, the existing literature highlights the need of a scientific validation of such technology-enhanced interventions before being translated in real life practice. Furthermore, such research topic should account for behavioral and cognitive skills along with quality of life, to consider the NDD comorbidities.

The effect of structured psychoeducation for caregivers of ALS patients on perceived stress, psychological resilience and self-compassion.

Patients diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) become dependent on caregivers to meet their daily needs and perform personal care activities. For this reason, ALS is a disease that can challenge both the patient and the caregiver physically, mentally and socially. Supporting the caregiver indirectly affects the patient's quality of care and mental well-being. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of a structured psychoeducation program on coping with stress, psychological resilience and self-compassion in caregivers of ALS patients. This quasi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test control group was conducted with caregivers of 62 ALS patients in Türkiye. The study was conducted between July 2023 and February 2024. A psychoeducation program was applied to five different groups via zoom application for 6 weeks each. The survey form, Perceived Stress Scale, Brief Resilience Scale and Short Form of Self-Compassion Questionnaire were used as measurement tools. The chi-squared test and paired samples t-test were used to analyze the data. While there was no significant difference between the intervention group and the control group in the pre-test in terms of their mean scores on the coping with stress inventory, short psychological resilience scale and self-compassion scale, at the post-test, psychological resilience and self-compassion scores were significantly higher in the intervention group. This study revealed that psychoeducational programs that support caregivers are effective in increasing psychological resilience and self-compassion.

THE PSYCHOEDUCATION OF LANGUAGE DISORDERS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD FOR PARENTS AND TEACHERS AT ECC DEWI SARTIKA MOJOKERTO

Introduction: Based on an initial survey conducted among parents, prospective parents, and educators at ECC Dewi Sartika, Mojokerto, it was found that 19% of people did not know about language disorders in early childhood. In addition, 29.3% of respondents did not know about the impact and urgency of handling language disorders in children. A total of 36.2% of respondents did not know about the symptoms or indications of language disorders in children, and as many as 58.6% of respondents did not know about how to treat children with language disorders, especially in early childhood. The purpose of giving psychoeducation is increasing knowledge and attitude of those directly involved in the child's growth and development process, so they can find out an overview of the development of language and speech in children. Methods: The psychoeducation program is in the form of an interactive talk show conducted online through one of the video conference platforms. The target participants consisted of 8 teachers, 30 parents or caregivers, and 10 other parties who are directly or indirectly involved in the care and guidance of early childhood. Participants were given a pretest and post test to measure their knowledge and attitude towards language disorders in early childhood. The results obtained will be analyzed using a t-test with the Jamovi version 2.2.5 application. Results: The difference in the mean score is 16,842 (CI95 = [∞, 14,135]), the delivery of promotive interventions in the form of psychoeducation has a significant effect on increasing knowledge and attitudes towards language disorders in early childhood (t(48) = 10,495, p=&lt;.001 , Cohen's d=1,702). Conclusion: This psychoeducation program is able to increase participants' understanding and attitude towards of language disorders in early childhood.

Transforming Bullying Prevention Through Assertive Communication Training

General Background: Bullying is a pervasive issue in educational settings, often resulting in physical and psychological harm to victims. It typically arises from a power imbalance, with aggressors seeking personal satisfaction through intimidation. Specific Background: This study addresses the effectiveness of psychoeducational interventions aimed at improving assertive communication skills among junior high school students, specifically at SMPN 5 Sidoarjo, to prevent bullying behaviors. Knowledge Gap: While previous research has explored bullying prevention strategies, there is limited empirical evidence demonstrating the impact of assertive communication training in Indonesian junior high schools. Aims: This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured psychoeducational program on students’ understanding and application of assertive communication to mitigate bullying. Results: Utilizing a quantitative experimental design with pre-test and post-test assessments, the study reveals a statistically significant improvement in assertive communication skills, evidenced by a Wilcoxon signed-rank test (p = 0.001) and a large effect size (r = 0.898). Novelty: This study contributes novel insights into the role of assertive communication training as a proactive approach to bullying prevention within the Indonesian educational context. Implications: The findings suggest that psychoeducational programs can effectively enhance students’ assertive communication abilities, highlighting the need for continuous training to deepen understanding and application. Ongoing psychoeducational efforts are recommended to foster a supportive and respectful school environment, ultimately reducing bullying incidents. Highlights: Improvement: Assertive communication significantly increased after psychoeducation. Effectiveness: Psychoeducation is essential for preventing bullying. Recommendation: Ongoing training needed for sustained communication skills. Keywords: Bullying, Assertive Communication, Psychoeducation, Junior High School, Prevention