The Effect of Storytelling on Learning Social Skills and Reducing Anxiety in Female Elementary School Students in Kerman

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Associate Professor of Educational Sciences, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Masters graduate in educational sciences, Payame Noor university, Tehran-Iran.

Abstract

 




The present study proposed to investigate the effectiveness of storytelling intervention on improving social skills and reducing anxiety levels in elementary school students. This study was applied research employing a semi-experimental design with a pre-test-post-test control group. The statistical population included all second-cycle female elementary school students (grades four, five, and six) in kerman city during the academic year 2024-2025. Participants were selected through non-probability convenience sampling. After administering the pre-test, 40 students with low social skills scores and high anxiety levels were chosen and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (20 students per group). The control group received no intervention, while the experimental group underwent a storytelling program consisting of 10 sessions. Research instruments included the texas social skills inventory (tiss), the anxious thoughts questionnaire (anti), and a cognitive-emotional storytelling intervention protocol, whose content validity was confirmed by psychology specialists and university professors. Data were analyzed at the descriptive level using mean, standard deviation, and variance, and at the inferential level using multivariate analysis of covariance (mancova). Statistical analysis was performed using spss software version 26. The results indicated that the storytelling intervention significantly enhanced social skills and reduced anxiety levels in female students.

Keywords


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  • Receive Date: 29 October 2025
  • Revise Date: 17 December 2025
  • Accept Date: 18 January 2026
  • First Publish Date: 20 February 2026
  • Publish Date: 20 February 2026