A Comparison of the Effect of PERMA Model and Psychological Empowerment Training Program in High School Students' Future Orientation and Self-Actualization

This study was conducted to compare the effect of education programs based on PERMA model and psychological empowerment training on the future orientation and self-actualization of junior high school students. This study used a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design. The statistical population of the study consisted of all ninth grade students in Shiraz, Iran, in the 2019-2020 academic year. Purposive sampling was used to select 175 students. The sample consisted of three intact classes with 87 girls and three other intact classes with 88 boys. The six classes were randomly assigned, based on the type of instruction offered to them, to three groups, namely PERMA =55, psychological empowerment= 47, and control =73. Considering data collection, the Future Orientation Questionnaire (Di Maggio et al., 2016), and Ahvaz SelfActualization Inventory (Ismaeelkhani et al., 2001) were distributed among participants at pre, post, and follow up phases. The experimental groups were taught based on either PERMA or psychological empowerment packages for eight 90-minute sessions. The control group, however, received no intervention. ANCOVA results showed a significant increase in post-test mean scores concerning participants' future orientation in both PERMA and Empowering groups (P=0.01). Similar finding was concerned in relation to participants' selfactualization. However, only the effect of PERMA intervention on selfactualization was significant in the follow-up phase. Based on the overall findings, it can be concluded that the two types of intervention can be helpful in overcoming the adolescent crises and in increasing students' empowerment and self-actualization.