Advanced Journal of Management, Humanity and Social Science

Development, Content Validation, and Preliminary Effectiveness of the NEXUS Multicomponent Educational Protocol Integrating AI-Mediated Socratic Inquiry, Identity Meaning-Making, and Impactful Expression in Adolescents: A Small-Cluster Randomized Tri

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Akram Sabzipour 1
Sajad Hazrati 2

1 Department of Psychology, Payame Noor University, Takestan, Iran

2 PhD Student in Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, To.C., Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran

zenodo.org/ajmhss.2026.595714.1093
Abstract
Background: Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) can support explanation and feedback, but unrestricted answers may encourage cognitive offloading, weak source evaluation, and diminished learner authorship. This study developed and content-validated NEXUS, which restricts GenAI to Socratic coaching, and examined preliminary effectiveness for learning agency, intrinsic motivation, and critical-thinking disposition among male upper-secondary students in Qazvin, Iran. Methods: Phase I combined needs mapping in 463 students, co-design, cognitive interviews, and two-round Delphi validation by 15 experts. Phase II randomized 12 classes (106 students; six clusters per arm) to ten weekly NEXUS sessions or a dose- and technology-matched active control. Three-month follow-up was primary. Mixed-model estimates were paired with CR2 inference, CR3 sensitivity analysis, restricted wild-cluster bootstrap-t intervals, and exact within-pair randomization tests. Model-based Hedges g used total class-plus-student variance. Results: The 55-element manual achieved S-CVI/Ave = 0.91; universal agreement was 0.31, and Fleiss kappa was 0.66 for relevance and 0.61 for necessity. Follow-up completion was 89.6%. Adjusted follow-up differences were 0.44 for agentic engagement (95% CI 0.10 to 0.78; Holm-adjusted p = 0.042; g = 0.43), 0.31 for intrinsic motivation (95% CI -0.04 to 0.66; adjusted p = 0.086; g = 0.30), and 6.1 for critical-thinking disposition (95% CI 0.6 to 11.6; adjusted p = 0.078; g = 0.38). The exact global multivariate randomization test was p = 0.031. Fidelity averaged 86.8%; minor AI-output and participant-burden events occurred, but no serious related event was observed. Conclusion: NEXUS showed credible content validity and a promising joint signal, strongest for agentic engagement. With only 12 clusters, incomplete blinding, and no prospective registration, independent replication is required.

Keywords

adolescent learning
artificial intelligence
critical thinking
intrinsic motivation
learning agency
Socratic questioning
Subjects
Advanced Journal of Management, Humanity and Social Science

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 06 August 2026

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