Volume 28, Issue 12 (3-2022)
RJMS 2022, 28(12): 380-390 |
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Behnam R, Mousavi Mirkalai S M. The Effectiveness of a Poetry Reading and Poetry Recitation (Moshaereh) Intervention on Happiness and Positive Thinking among Female Students. RJMS 2022; 28 (12) :380-390
URL: http://rjms.iums.ac.ir/article-1-9284-en.html
URL: http://rjms.iums.ac.ir/article-1-9284-en.html
1- Faculty Member, Farhangian University, Urmia, Iran
2- PhD in Persian Language and Literature, Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University of Karaj, Iran.
2- PhD in Persian Language and Literature, Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University of Karaj, Iran.
Abstract: (353 Views)
| Background & Aims: Because poetry holds a deep and enduring place in Iranian cultural life, activities such as poetry reading and poetry recitation (Moshaereh) align naturally with students’ lived experiences and social traditions. This cultural fit makes poetry-based programs especially promising for use in schools, where interventions are more likely to succeed when they feel familiar, meaningful, and engaging rather than imposed or unfamiliar. In addition, poetry reading and Moshaereh can be carried out with minimal resources: they require little more than appropriate texts, a structured plan, and a facilitator who can guide participation. Compared with many psychological or counseling programs that depend on specialized equipment, extensive training, or costly materials, these activities are inexpensive and simple to organize. Their low cost and straightforward design also make them scalable, allowing schools to implement them widely without major disruptions to schedules or budgets. Such interventions are also practical within educational environments because they can be integrated into existing classroom routines, language and literature courses, or extracurricular programs. They can be delivered in groups, which is efficient for schools and consistent with the social nature of Moshaereh. Group formats may additionally strengthen peer connection, encourage cooperative participation, and create a supportive atmosphere that can indirectly contribute to students’ emotional well-being. Importantly, these activities tend to be attractive to students, particularly when they are presented in interactive and playful ways. Moshaereh, for example, introduces a friendly competitive element that can increase attention, motivation, and willingness to participate. When students experience enjoyment and social recognition through culturally valued activities, they may become more open to reflection, emotional expression, and constructive ways of thinking. Given these advantages—cultural relevance, low implementation cost, feasibility in schools, and student appeal—it is especially important to evaluate whether poetry-based interventions can meaningfully influence mental health–related outcomes. Mental health in adolescence is shaped by a combination of academic pressure, social changes, identity development, and emotional challenges. Middle school years are a sensitive period in which students may experience fluctuations in mood, confidence, and hopefulness. Interventions that are easy to deliver and well accepted in school settings are valuable only if they can produce measurable psychological benefits. Reciting poetry aloud can also foster confidence, emotional release, and a sense of accomplishment, while listening to peers may increase empathy and feelings of belonging. On this basis, the present study was designed to test whether a structured program combining poetry reading and Moshaereh could improve happiness and positive thinking among female middle school students. By focusing on this group, the study addresses a population for whom school-based, culturally responsive approaches may be particularly beneficial. The aim was not simply to assume value from tradition, but to examine, in a systematic way, whether engaging students in these literary and performative practices can contribute to psychological well-being. The findings of such research can guide educators and mental health professionals in choosing interventions that are both culturally grounded and practically achievable, while also being effective in supporting students’ emotional and cognitive health. Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest control group and a follow-up phase. The statistical population consisted of female middle school students from two urban areas in Mashhad and Isfahan, Iran. Participants were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group. The final sample consisted of 40 students (20 in the experimental group and 20 in the control group). The poetry reading and poetry recitation intervention was conducted over 8 weeks, with two 60-minute sessions per week. Research instruments included the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire developed by Michael Argyle (1989) and the Positive Thinking Questionnaire developed by Abbasnia (2012). Data were analyzed using multivariate and univariate analyses of covariance (MANCOVA and ANCOVA). Results: The results indicated that, after controlling for pretest scores, the poetry reading and poetry recitation intervention had a significant effect on the combined dependent variables of happiness and positive thinking (F= 45.67, p<0.001). The effect size (η²= 0.75) indicated that 75% of the variance in the combined dependent variables was explained by the intervention. Furthermore, univariate ANCOVA results showed that the intervention had a significant positive effect on happiness (F= 9.50, p<0.001, η²=0.27) and positive thinking (F= 35.60, p= 0.003, η²=0.58). Conclusion: The findings indicate that poetry reading and poetry recitation should be understood not only as literary or instructional practices, but also as culturally meaningful and psychologically beneficial approaches that can support adolescent mental health. These activities appear to offer more than academic enrichment, as they create opportunities for emotional engagement, interpersonal connection, and personal growth within a familiar cultural framework. Because adolescents are strongly influenced by the social and emotional quality of their environments, interventions that combine cultural relevance with active participation may have a particularly valuable impact on their well-being. One important contribution of these activities is their ability to strengthen positive emotions. Engaging with poetry can evoke enjoyment, inspiration, calmness, and emotional release, all of which may help students experience greater happiness in their daily lives. When students read or recite verses that reflect beauty, hope, endurance, or human connection, they may become more capable of processing emotions in healthy and meaningful ways. This process can help reduce the weight of negative thoughts and create a stronger sense of emotional balance. Poetry recitation also encourages social interaction, which is another important factor in adolescent well-being. Positive thinking involves cognitive patterns such as optimism, constructive interpretation of experiences, and attention to strengths, opportunities, and hopeful possibilities rather than fear, weakness, or failure. This kind of thinking is closely related to resilience and healthy adaptation during adolescence, a stage often marked by emotional and social challenges. Taken together, these results suggest that poetry reading and poetry recitation can function as practical and effective interventions for enhancing happiness and positive thinking among students. Their value lies in the way they connect culture, emotion, thought, and social experience to support healthier psychological development during adolescence. |
Type of Study: review article |
Subject:
Physiotherapy
