Table 2 Comparison of psychological capital and its sub-scales in two experimental and control groups, before and 2 months after training intervention

Self-efficiency

Experimental (n = 60)

18.2 ± 1.8

19.1 ± 3.4

0.884

0.64

Control (n = 60)

18.2 ± 1.9

18.3 ± 1.9

0.870

0.05

Student’s t-test^b

0.870

0.875

–

–

Effect size: Cohen’s d

–

− 0.29

–

–

P**

0.962

0.001

–

–

Optimism

Experimental (n = 60)

21 ± 1.05

23.7 ± 1.5

0.856

0.81

Control (n = 60)

21.1 ± 2.3

21.4 ± 1.7

0.842

0.15

Student’s t-test^b

0.590

0.687

–

–

Effect size: Cohen’s d

− 1.84

–

–

P**

0.973

0.001

–

–

Psychological capital

Hope

Experimental (n = 60)

18.1 ± 2.1

25.6 ± 2.7

0.870

0.98

Control (n = 60)

18.03 ± 2.1

17.7 ± 2.3

0.856

− 0.19

Student’s t-test^b

0.420

0.570

–

–

Effect size: Cohen’s d

–

-2.83

–

–

P**

0.132

0.001

–

–

Resilience

Experimental (n = 60)

20.3 ± 2.1

25.4 ± 2.07

0.620

2.44

Control (n = 60)

20.4 ± 1.4

20.5 ± 1.9

0.491

0.06

Student’s t-test^b

0.684

0.687

–

–

Effect size: Cohen’s d

–

 − 2.46

–

–

P**

0.145

0.001

–

–

Total

Experimental (n = 60)

77.3 ± 6.6

81.9 ± 7.8

0.856

0.63

Control (n = 60)

77.9 ± 5.6

78.3 ± 5.7

0.842

0.07

Student’s t-test^b

0.772

0.978

–

–

Effect size: Cohen’s d

–

-0.52

–

–

P**

0.159

0.001

–

–