Peer-reviewed article

The effectiveness of a proposed program to enhance social and emotional skills on developing psychological well-being (good condition) in UNRWA schools: Jalazone Basic Schools as a model.

Backleh M, Yousef I, Bsharat A, Al-Ramahi R, Hamad F et al. · 24 Jul 2026

Abstract

Objective This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a proposed program to enhance social and emotional skills in developing mental health among seventh-grade students at the Jalazone Basic School for Boys and Girls, run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). Methods To achieve the study's objective, a mixed-methods approach, including quasi-experimental, quantitative, and qualitative research, was employed. The researchers used two research tools: The Psychological Well-being Scale and a semi-structured interview to collect quantitative and qualitative data. The results will be analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics to answer the study questions and determine the statistical significance of any differences between the male and female groups. Content analysis will also be conducted on the qualitative data collected through the semi-structured interview tool. This study implemented a program that enhances social and emotional learning (SET) in a seventh-grade class at a boys' school and a seventh-grade class at a girls' school. Results The pre-test findings confirmed the groups' baseline equivalency by showing no statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups on the majority of social-emotional skills and psychological well-being measures. The pre-test results confirmed the original baseline equivalency between male students in both groups, showing no statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups across the majority of social-emotional skills and psychological well-being categories. According to the findings of the Two-Way ANCOVA analysis of variance, the suggested training regimen resulted in statistically significant group differences, with the group factor having the greatest influence on all dependent variables. Finally, through this implemented program, students learn how to resolve problems and conflicts and manage their own emotions as well as the emotions of others. Conclusion This research contributes to the existing literature by developing psychological well-being and creative methods for implementing interventions that increase the influence and reach of evidence-based practice across various educational systems and school settings, which may result from identifying a shared set of evidence-based techniques to improve adolescents' social and emotional skills. This study fills a knowledge gap regarding gender differences in emotional and social skills and their significance in promoting psychological well-being among UNRWA students in the Jalazone Palestinian refugee camp. Addressing these variations among this student population and understanding their underlying reasons will aid in developing effective, culturally relevant, and individualized treatments for each group.