Comparison of Efficacy of Child Cognitive – Behavioral Therapy (CCBT) Versus Family Cognitive – Behavioral Therapy (FCBT) and Mother - Child Attachment Intervention in Reduction of Separation Anxiety Disorder in Children between 7-12 Years Old

Sahel  Gerami; Parvaneh Ghodsi; Parvaneh  Mohammadkhani; Sadegh  Taghiloo

doi:10.61838/kman.jarac.5.3.10

Authors

Sahel Gerami PhD student in Psychology, Department of Psychology, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0009-7220-7418
Parvaneh Ghodsi Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4802-9083
Parvaneh Mohammadkhani Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6489-0987
Sadegh Taghiloo Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Astara Branch, Islamic Azad University, Gilan, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2325-6899

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61838/kman.jarac.5.3.10

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare and evaluate the effectiveness of child-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CCBT), family-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (FCBT) and mother-child attachment intervention in reducing separation anxiety in children aged 7 to 12 years.

Methods and Materials: The method of this semi-experimental study was pre-test-post-test with a control group and a three-month follow-up. For this purpose, 48 children with separation anxiety disorder were selected by purposive sampling and were divided into four groups of 12 people. The first group received child-based cognitive behavioral therapy, the second group received family-based cognitive behavioral therapy, the third group received mother-child attachment intervention, and the control group did not receive any intervention. The measurement tools of this research include the semi-structured diagnostic interview of mood disorders and schizophrenia for children and adolescents (K-SADS-PL) and Separation Anxiety Scale (Parental Form). The data were analyzed using mixed variance analysis with repeated measurement and Bonferroni's post hoc test.

Findings: The findings show that child-centered cognitive-behavioral therapy has been more successful in reducing separation anxiety compared to family-centered cognitive-behavioral therapy and mother-child attachment-centered intervention. Also, family-centered cognitive-behavioral therapy has been more effective in reducing children's separation anxiety compared to mother-child attachment-centered intervention (P<0.05).

Conclusion: The results of the present study show that the therapeutic methods used can be effective in the treatment of separation anxiety disorder by psychologists and psychiatrists.