Volume 5, Issue 4 (January 2025)
2025, 5(4): 172-183 |
Back to browse issues page
Ethics code: IR.PNU.REC.1402.203
Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
Khaleghi N, Rahmanian M. (2025). Effect of Philosophy Program for Children on Happiness, Quality of Life, and Mental Health on Children. Journal of Childhood Health and Education. 5(4), 172-183. doi:10.32592/jeche.5.4.172
URL: http://jeche.ir/article-1-271-en.html
URL: http://jeche.ir/article-1-271-en.html
1- M.A Student in Psychology, Department of Psychology, Payam Noor University, Tehran, Iran
2- Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Payam Noor University, Tehran, Iran
2- Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Payam Noor University, Tehran, Iran
Full-Text [PDF 520 kb]
(218 Downloads)
| Abstract (HTML) (171 Views)
Full-Text: (20 Views)
| EXTENDED ABSTRACT | ARTICLE INFORMATION |
|
Background and Aim:
He most critical and sensitive period in the formation of an individual's personality is childhood, as it plays a fundamental role in the foundation of society. Neglecting this phase can lead to irreversible consequences. A lack of attention to children during this period and improper guidance in their developmental process can result in behavioral disorders and maladjustments later in life (Oruji Aghdam et al., 2020). Research and policymaking should shift focus from psychological weaknesses toward strengthening individuals' strengths and enhancing positive aspects such as happiness and life satisfaction. Psychology as a discipline must prioritize these areas as they contribute to personal and social growth and improved mental health (Barkley et al., 2016). For centuries, happiness has been regarded as an essential component of human life. Happiness is an attitudinal phenomenon, meaning that an individual's perception and beliefs about happiness influence their actual experience of it (Giv et al., 2018). Generally, happiness encompasses three main components: the frequency and intensity of positive feelings or pleasure, the absence of negative feelings such as depression or anxiety, and a moderate level of life satisfaction. The first two components relate to the emotional aspects of happiness, while the third pertains to its cognitive dimensions (Khosh-Konesh et al., 2008). Alongside happiness, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has become a critical measure in clinical trials and healthcare. HRQoL is a multidimensional concept encompassing aspects of life quality influenced by various health dimensions, including physical, psychological, and social well-being. The ultimate goal of all health-related activities and interventions throughout different life stages, including childhood, is to enhance HRQoL (Radmehr et al., 2021). School-related quality of life refers to students' overall well-being and satisfaction with the negative and positive experiences rooted in their school activities (Jalili et al., 2021). As one of the most significant indicators of individual and social well-being, quality of life profoundly impacts children's growth and development. To understand what makes people perceive themselves as happy, judgment is required—judgment about long-term interests, desires, and aspirations for a better life. Since judging what brings happiness involves considering the outcomes of fulfilling specific desires, children need to practice this skill. One area that has deeply engaged human thought in this regard is "philosophy." Placing students in a community of inquiry encourages them toward deeper thinking, self-reflection, and self-evaluation in cognitive and emotional skills. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the Philosophy for Children (P4C) program on happiness, quality of life, and mental health among children aged 9 to 12 in Tehran. Methods: This study utilized an applied, quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group and a two-month follow-up. The statistical population consisted of all third- to sixth-grade elementary school students in Tehran during the 2022–2023 academic year. From this population, 34 students were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups (17 students in each group). It is worth noting that, due to attrition during the study, the sample size was adjusted to 34 instead of 30 participants. Inclusion criteria included parental consent, normal intelligence, absence of disorders such as learning disabilities or intellectual delays based on the student’s academic records, and no significant academic performance issues as determined by teacher consultation. Exclusion criteria included the presence of specific illnesses, undergoing other treatments during the study, and missing more than two sessions. Both the experimental and control groups completed the 29-item Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (1989), the Quality of Life Questionnaire for Children aged 8–12 years (2003), and the Mental Health Assessment Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (1984). The students in the experimental group participated in 10 weekly 60-minute sessions of P4C exercises, while the control group remained on a waiting list. Following the intervention sessions and two months later, the mentioned tests were administered to both groups. Data were analyzed using ANCOVA in SPSS24. Results: Pairwise comparisons of participants at three different time points indicate that the level of happiness significantly differed between the pretest and both the posttest and follow-up stages (P < 0.01). This suggests that the level of happiness increased significantly and that this increase remained stable over time. Additionally, the effect size of changes in quality of life showed the following:
As a result, the quality of life significantly improved, and this improvement remained stable over time. Pairwise comparisons of mental health levels in the pretest with those in the posttest and follow-up also revealed that mental health significantly increased and that this improvement was sustained over time.
Discussion: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the Philosophy for Children (P4C) program on happiness, quality of life, and mental health in children aged 9 to 12 years. The results indicated a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the variables of happiness, quality of life, and mental health at the post-test and follow-up stages. These findings align with those of Daniel et al. (2011), who reported the positive effects of a localized P4C program on self-efficacy, happiness, and optimism among first-year high school female students, as well as with Al-Zaheri et al. (2023), who demonstrated the effectiveness of the P4C program on students' cognitive outcomes. Conclusion: In explaining the findings, it can be stated that P4C is a method for fostering reasoning and critical thinking, encouraging children and adolescents to enhance their thinking about the world through a specific educational strategy known as the community of inquiry. By engaging them in philosophical discussions, it provides a context for moral reasoning and social education, allowing them to confidently express their ideas in a supportive environment where they feel at ease. Ethical Considerations This study is derived from the first author's master’s thesis in psychology. Prior to participation, written informed consent was obtained from all individuals involved. Participants were assured of the confidentiality of their personal information, and all data were stored anonymously to protect their identities. Funding This study received no financial support from public, commercial, or not-for-profit funding agencies. Authors’ Contributions All authors contributed to various stages of the research, including the initial design, data collection and analysis, and manuscript writing. Conflict of Interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the conduct and reporting of this research. The findings have been reported transparently and without bias. Acknowledgments The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to the parents and students whose kind cooperation made this study possible. References Aghdam, Z. O., Atadokht, A., & Basharpoor, S. (2020). The effectiveness of parent-child relationship-based Game Therapy on quality of life in preschool children. Journal of Health Promotion Management, 9(3), 1-9. https://mail.jhpm.ir/browse.php?a_id=1058&sid=1&slc_lang=en&ftxt=1 Barclay, K., & Myrskylä, M. (2016). Maternal age and offspring health and health behaviours in late adolescence in Sweden. SSM-population health, 2, 68-76. 10.1016/j.ssmph.2016.02.012 Park, A. L., Fuhrer, R., & Quesnel-Vallée, A. (2013). Parents’ education and the risk of major depression in early adulthood. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 48, 1829-1839. 10.1007/s00127-013-0697-8 Guo, V. Y., Wong, C. K., Wong, R. S., Yu, E. Y., Ip, P., & Lam, C. L. (2018). Spillover effects of maternal chronic disease on children’s quality of life and behaviors among low-income families. The Patient-Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, 11, 625-635. 10.1007/s40271-018-0314-8 KHOUSH, K. A. G., & KESHAVARZ, A. H. (2008). The relationship between the happiness and mental health. Journal of Behavior in Clinical Psychology , 2 (7): 41-52. https://sid.ir/paper/172195/en Radmehr, M., Pelarak, F., & Khosropanah, M. H. (2021). Investigation of Health Status and Quality of Life of Children with Hearing Disabilities and their Relationship with Children's Demographic Characteristics. Journal of Pediatric Association, 7(3);21-28. http://jpen.ir/article-1-517-en.html Jalali-Farahani, S., Amiri, P., Karimi, M., & Azizi, F. (2020). The association between parents and offspring health-related quality of life: Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study. Payesh (Health Monitor), 19(5), 559-568. 10.29252/payesh.19.5.559 Saneie, E., & Raeisoon, M. (2020). Role of social skills in predicting the students' sense of coherence and quality of school life. Quarterly Journal of Child Mental Health, 7(2), 96-107. 10.29252/jcmh.7.2.9 Costa, A. L. S., Heitkemper, M. M., Alencar, G. P., Damiani, L. P., da Silva, R. M., & Jarrett, M. E. (2017). Social support is a predictor of lower stress and higher quality of life and resilience in Brazilian patients with colorectal cancer. Cancer nursing, 40(5), 352-360. 10.1097/NCC.0000000000000388 Malboeuf-Hurtubise, C., Léger-Goodes, T., Mageau, G. A., Joussemet, M., Herba, C., Chadi, N., ... & Gagnon, M. (2021). Philosophy for children and mindfulness during COVID-19: Results from a randomized cluster trial and impact on mental health in elementary school students. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 107, 110260. 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2021.110260 Leng, L. (2020). The role of philosophical inquiry in helping students engage in learning. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 449. 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00449 Khosronejad, M. (2020). Dialogue with the third party: A study of literary and philosophical dilemmas in the promotion and research of P4C in Iran. Iranian Children's Literature Studies, 10(2), 169-200. 10.22099/jcls.2020.5607 Lam, C. M. (2012). Continuing Lipman's and Sharp's pioneering work on philosophy for children: Using Harry to foster critical thinking in Hong Kong students. Educational Research and Evaluation, 18(2), 187-203. 10.1080/138 03611.2012.658669 Pala, F. (2022). The effect of philosophy education for children (P4C) on students' conceptual achievement and critical thinking skills: A mixed method research. Education Quarterly Reviews, 5(3). https://ssrn.com/abstract=4160277 Jenkins, P., & Lyle, S. (2010). Enacting dialogue: The impact of promoting philosophy for children on the literate thinking of identified poor readers, aged 10. Language and Education, 24(6), 459-472. 10.1080/09500782.2010.495781 Daniel, M. F., & Auriac, E. (2011). Philosophy, critical thinking and philosophy for children. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 43(5), 415-435. 10.1111/j.1469-5812.2008.00483.x Alzahrani, E. A., & Almutairi, A. (2023). Philosophy for children in saudi arabia and its impact on non-cognitive skills. Childhood & Philosophy, 19. 10.12957/ childphilo.2023.75190 Karadag, F., & Yildiz Demirtas, V. (2018). The Effectiveness of the Philosophy Curriculum with Children on the Critical Thinking Skills of Preschool Children. Education and Science, 43(195). 10.15390/EB.2018.7268 Kabiri, A., & Vahedi, M. (2022). the effectiveness of technology-enhanced program of philosophy for children on happiness and rumination thoughts of Orphaned and abused girl children. Counseling Culture and Psycotherapy, 13(49), 163-192. 10.22054/qccpc.2021.59394.2658 Vansieleghem, N., & Kennedy, D. (2011). What is philosophy for children, what is philosophy with children—after Matthew Lipman?. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 45(2), 171-182. 10.1111/j.1467-9752.2011.00801.x Barani, S. M., Bahmani, T., & Barani, S. M. A. (2024). Effect of Philosophy for Children Curriculum on Life Skills Development in Fifth Grade Students Attending Public Elementary Schools in Behbahan. Thinking and Children, 14(2), 27-49. 10.30465/fabak.2024.9275 Alipour, A., & Agah Heris, M. (2007). Reliability and validity of the Oxford Happiness Inventory among Iranians. https://journals.iau.ir/article_512394_bec76911dc7d84bbabdb3283f3e58b75.pdf Ismail, M. (2002). Validity and reliability of CSI-4 questionnaire. Quarterly Journal of Research in Exceptional Children, 3(3), 241–254. Delavar, A., & Shekohi Amirabadi, L. (2019). Examining the state of happiness and life satisfaction of students during the crisis of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Educational Psychology Quarterly, 16(55), 1–25. 10.22054/ jep.2020.52767.3018 Zulkifli, H., & Hashim, R. (2020). Philosophy for children (P4C) in improving critical thinking in a secondary moral education class. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 19(2), 29–45. 10.26803/ ijlter.19.2.3 Varni, J. W., Burwinkle, T. M., Seid, M., & Skarr, D. (2003). The PedsQL™ 4.0 as a pediatric population health measure: Feasibility, reliability, and validity. Ambulatory Pediatrics, 3(1), 29–41. 10.1367/1539-4409(2003)003<0329: TPAAPP>2.0.CO;2 Mohamadian, H., Akbari, H., Gilasi, H., Gharlipour, Z., Moazami, A., Aghajani, M., ... & Azar Abdad, A. (2014). Validation of pediatric quality of life questionnaire (PedsQL) in Kashan city. J Ilam Univ Med Sci, 22(3), 10-8. http://sjimu. medilam.ac.ir/article-1-1935-fa.html Cassidy, C. (2023). Rethinking philosophy for children: Agamben and education as pure means, Journal of Philosophy of Education, 57(3):774–779. https://doi.org/ 10.1093/jopedu/qhad041 |
Article type Original research Pages: 172-183 |
| Corresponding Author’s Info Email: m.rahmanian@pnu.ac.ir |
|
| Article history: Received: 2024/10/05 Revised: 2024/11/21 Accepted: 2024/11/28 Published online: 2025/02/28 |
|
| Keywords: Behavioral Problems, COVID-19 Emotional and Filial Therapy Maternal Sensitivity Parental Stress |
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2024/10/5 | Accepted: 2024/11/30 | Published: 2025/02/28
Received: 2024/10/5 | Accepted: 2024/11/30 | Published: 2025/02/28
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
