Aggressive and bullying behaviors among students are associated with reduced resilience, emotional intelligence, and impaired cognitive functioning. The novel approach of mindful self-regulation, which combines mindfulness practices with emotion regulation skills, has been proposed as an effective intervention to improve these components. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of mindful self-regulation training on resilience, emotional intelligence, and cognitive functioning in bullying students.
Method: This study utilized a quasi-experimental design (pre-test and post-test with a control group). The statistical population consisted of all secondary school students exhibiting bullying behaviors in Yazd city during the academic year 1403-1404 (2024-2025). Based on interviews and questionnaires, 40 students with the highest bullying scores were identified and selected through multi-stage cluster sampling. They were then randomly assigned to experimental and control groups, with 20 students in each group. Data were collected using the Olweus Bullying Questionnaire (1996), Goleman Emotional Intelligence Scale (2001), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (2003), and Nejati Cognitive Functioning Scale (2013). The experimental group received eight sessions of mindful self-regulation training. Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA and MANCOVA).
Findings:The results indicated that mindful self-regulation training significantly impacted bullying behaviors (p < 0.05, F = 15.83, η² = 0.300) and its subscale of bullying (p < 0.05, F = 15.94, η² = 0.319), resilience (p < 0.05, F = 28.049, η² = 0.431) and its components including trust (p < 0.05, F = 19.47, η² = 0.371), spirituality (p < 0.05, F = 11.91, η² = 0.265), and control (p < 0.05, F = 7.31, η² = 0.300), emotional intelligence (p < 0.05, F = 19.34, η² = 0.343) and its components of self-awareness (p < 0.05, F = 14.19, η² = 0.295) and self-management (p < 0.05, F