Background & Purpose: This study proposed to investigate the effectiveness of communication skills training on increasing responsibility and reducing depressive mood in adolescents covered by the Welfare Organization of Golestan Province, Iran.
Method: This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of all adolescents under the supervision of the Welfare Organization of Golestan Province in 2022 (30 individuals). Due to the limited population, all individuals were selected as the sample and randomly assigned to two 15-person groups (experimental and control). The experimental group received Khazaei's (2022) communication skills training intervention in eight 90-minute sessions, while the control group received no intervention. Research instruments included the Gough Responsibility Scale (1987) and the Beck Depression Inventory (1998). Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 24 and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA).
Results: The results of ANCOVA, after controlling for the pretest effect, showed that communication skills training led to a significant increase in responsibility (P < .001, F=35.82) and a significant decrease in depressive mood (P < .001, F=40.15) in the experimental group compared to the control group.
Conclusion: According to the results, communication skills training is an effective intervention for promoting psychological health and personal development in adolescents in welfare centers. Implementing regular communication skills training programs in these centers is recommended.