Comparison of the Effectiveness of Group Cognitive Behavioral Hypnotherapy, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Stress Management, and Meaning Therapy Based on the Healthy Human Theory on Academic Engagement in Eleventh-Grade Students

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of group cognitive behavioral hypnotherapy, mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral stress management, and meaning therapy based on the healthy human theory on academic engagement in eleventh-grade students. Methods and Materials: The research employed a quasi-experimental design using a pretest-posttest-follow-up format with four groups. The statistical population included all male students in Isfahan, from whom 80 students were selected through non-random sampling and were randomly assigned to three experimental groups and one control group (20 students per group). The research instrument was the Academic Engagement Scale developed by Fredricks et al. (2012). While the control group remained on the waiting list, the three experimental groups received their respective educational interventions in eight 90-minute sessions. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc test). Findings: The results indicated that all three methods had a statistically significant effect on improving academic engagement. The post hoc test results demonstrated that in both posttest and follow-up stages, there were significant differences in academic engagement scores between the intervention groups and the control group, and all three methods were effective in enhancing academic engagement (p < .05). No significant differences were found among the three interventions in the posttest phase; however, during the follow-up phase, the mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral stress management approach was more effective than cognitive behavioral hypnotherapy, and meaning therapy based on the healthy human theory was more effective than both of the other approaches. Conclusion: Accordingly, it can be concluded that meaning therapy based on the healthy human theory was the most effective method among the three.