Comparative study of the usage of Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and Restructuring Cognitive Distortion (RCD) Education program for understanding and dealing with problem-solving, Emotional Intelligence, and Resilience

This study investigated the effects of two interventions-Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and Restructuring Cognitive Distortion (RCD)-on adolescents' problem-solving, emotional intelligence, and resilience. The study followed a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design. A total of 72 adolescents were initially allocated (24 per group) using stratified convenience procedures. Participants were equally allocated into two experimental groups (NVC and RCD) and one control group, ensuring demographic balance across the groups. Post-test completers formed the final analytic sample (N = 49; NVC = 18, RCD = 16, Control = 15). Analyses therefore used unequal group sizes. After participating in a pre-test, two experimental groups were structured by eight weekly sessions of NVC and RCD program, for 90 min each session. They were all participated in a post-test to examine the probable effects. Problem-solving, emotional intelligence, and resilience were measured using the Problem-Solving Inventory (PSI), the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Adolescent Short Form (TEIQue-ASF), and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Results indicated that adjusting for pre-test scores, ANCOVAs (Holm-Bonferroni-corrected) showed significant group effects for the Problem-Solving Inventory (PSI) total and the Personal Control subscale: both intervention groups outperformed the control group, with the NVC arm exhibiting the highest adjusted post-test means; differences between NVC and RCD did not reach statistical significance. No between-group differences emerged for the other PSI subscales. For trait emotional intelligence (TEIQue-ASF), between-group effects were not significant. For resilience (CD-RISC), no significant group effects remained after correction. These findings suggest that participation in NVC was associated with greater improvement in problem-solving outcomes relative to control, while between-group effects on emotional intelligence and resilience were not significant. Communication-focused training (NVC) appears advantageous for problem-solving outcomes relative to no intervention; evidence for advantages over RCD and for effects on emotional intelligence or resilience is inconclusive and warrants further study.