Development of a Training Package for Managing Loneliness and Rejection in Adolescent Girls: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

This study aimed to develop and establish the content validity of an evidence-based training package for managing loneliness and perceived rejection among adolescent girls. A qualitative design using conventional content analysis based on Hsieh and Shannon’s approach was employed. Scientific texts related to adolescent loneliness published between 2016 and 2026 were purposively selected according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria and analyzed line by line until theoretical saturation was achieved. Concepts and categories were systematically coded and reviewed through iterative team analysis. Based on the extracted concepts, an eight-session training package was developed following Yousefi and Golparvar’s educational package design model. Content validity was assessed through expert evaluation and inter-rater agreement. Data analysis yielded four core categories: symptoms of loneliness, causes of loneliness, consequences of loneliness, and strategies for managing loneliness. Accordingly, the training package was structured around three central goals: strengthening self-management capacities, reducing psychological symptoms, and enhancing coping with rejection and friendship skills. Expert evaluation indicated a high level of content validity for the developed package. The proposed training package provides a comprehensive, developmentally sensitive framework for addressing loneliness in adolescent girls and is suitable for implementation in preventive and therapeutic counseling settings.