Evaluating the Shyness Intervention Program (SIP): A Quasi-Experimental Study on Reducing Shyness and Enhancing Social-Emotional Skills in Adolescents

This study examined the effectiveness of the Shyness Intervention Program (SIP), a semi-structured, school-based intervention designed to reduce shyness and enhance social-emotional learning (SEL) skills among Turkish middle school students. Grounded in Cognitive Behavioral Theory and Social Learning Theory, the SIP was implemented over six weeks with 47 seventh-grade students using a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest control group design (24 experimental, 23 control). Participants completed the Shyness for Children Scale and the Social Emotional Learning Skills Scale before and after the intervention. Mixed-design ANOVA results indicated a significant time x group interaction for shyness, F _{(1, 45)}  = 18.50, p  < .001, η² = .291, demonstrating a substantial reduction in shyness in the experimental group. Although the time x group interaction for SEL skills did not reach significance, F _{(1, 45)}  = 3.10, p  = .085, η² = .064, a medium effect size suggested meaningful improvements in emotional regulation and interpersonal skills. The findings highlight the effectiveness of theoretically grounded and culturally contextualized interventions for promoting adolescents’ social-emotional adjustment. Implementing such programs within school settings may support students’ psychological well-being and peer connectedness, particularly those exhibiting social withdrawal tendencies.