Comparing the Effectiveness of Emotional Disclosure with Drawing and Floortime Play Therapy (Family-Based) on Social Performance and Executive Functions in Children with Anxiety Symptoms

Amir Dariush Tavasoli; Samaneh Sadat Jafar Tabatabaei; Fatemeh Shahabizadeh; Maryam Nasri

doi:10.61838/kman.jarac.3299

Authors

Amir Dariush Tavasoli PhD Student, Department of Psychology, Birjand Branch, Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Iran.

Samaneh Sadat Jafar Tabatabaei * Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Birjand Branch, Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Iran. Tabatabaee88@yahoo.com

Fatemeh Shahabizadeh Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Birjand Branch, Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Iran.

Maryam Nasri Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Birjand Branch, Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.61838/kman.jarac.3299

Keywords:

Emotional Disclosure, Floortime Play Therapy, Social Functioning, Executive Functions, Anxiety Symptoms, Children

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of emotional disclosure through drawing and Floortime play therapy (family-based) on social performance and executive functions in children with anxiety symptoms.

Methods and Materials: In this quasi-experimental study, with a pretest-posttest control group design, 45 children aged 8 to 10 with anxiety symptoms were purposefully selected from the population of children in the city of Birjand and were randomly assigned to three experimental and control groups. The research tools included the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale, the Matson Social Skills Scale, and the Barkley Executive Functioning Scale.

Findings: Findings indicated that both interventions—emotional disclosure with drawing and Floortime play therapy—significantly improved social performance and reduced poor executive functioning in children with anxiety symptoms (P < 0.01).

Conclusion: These results suggest that art- and play-based interventions may be effective approaches in improving social skills and cognitive functioning in anxious children.

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