The impact of moral education activities conducted by primary and secondary school teachers on social impairment in adolescents with depression

Abstract Background Adolescents with depression commonly exhibit social withdrawal, avoidance of peer interaction, and intensified negative emotional experiences. Primary and secondary school teachers play multiple roles in daily educational interactions, including emotional support, value shaping, and behavioral guidance. Although moral education is considered to have potential benefits in promoting emotional regulation and social adaptation, its specific effect on social impairment among depressed adolescents remains insufficiently quantified. This study evaluates the impact of structured teacher-led moral education activities in order to clarify their influence on the social impairment of adolescents with depression. Methods A quasi-experimental design was adopted. A total of 132 adolescents diagnosed with depression were screened from two middle schools, and 126 students who met the inclusion criteria were finally included. Participants were assigned at the class level to a moral education intervention group and a usual teaching group, with 63 students in each group. The intervention lasted for eight weeks and was implemented by class teachers and subject teachers following a standardized manual. The research team conducted weekly process supervision to ensure intervention fidelity. The moral education intervention consisted of four core components. First, value clarification activities were conducted, in which teachers used scenario discussions, role-playing, and real-world dilemma analysis to help students recognize personal value conflicts and reconstruct perceptions of themselves and others. Second, emotional expression training was provided, with teachers guiding students through emotion-recognition tools, self-assessment, and group sharing. Third, structured peer-interaction tasks were arranged twice a week to promote cooperative learning and group collaboration. Fourth, emotion-focused teacher feedback and behavioral reinforcement were offered. Teachers used a unified feedback form to record students’ positive social behaviors each week and provided timely emotional support during individual meetings. Measurements were collected at baseline, week four, and week eight. Results After four weeks of intervention, the social anxiety level of the moral education enhancement group decreased from the baseline score of 67.41 to 56.28, which was significantly better than the score of 62.73 in the regular teaching group during the same period (p.05). After eight weeks of intervention, the social anxiety level of the moral education enhancement group further decreased to 49.36, with a more pronounced reduction compared with the regular teaching group (p.05). The objective classroom behavioral indicators demonstrated a noticeable increase in active interaction in the moral education enhancement group. The number of voluntary oral participation increased by 31.56% at week four and reached 58.33% by week eight, whereas the regular teaching group exhibited increases of 9.84% and 17.41%t respectively. In peer interaction, students in the moral education enhancement group showed an increasing duration of participation from week four, and by week eight they spent an additional 11.82 minutes per lesson in group discussion. Discussion Structured moral education activities conducted by primary and secondary school teachers significantly improved social impairment among adolescents with depression. The mechanism of improvement was reflected not only in the reduction of social anxiety and avoidance but also in increases in observable classroom interaction. Future studies should expand sample size, include more schools in randomized controlled designs, and extend follow-up periods to further examine the long-term effects of moral education interventions. Funding No.2023KY0750.