The effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy for parents on reducing aggression, behavioral problems and anxiety in children

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of compassion- focused treatment education for parents on reducing aggression, behavioral problems, and anxiety in children. Methods: The research design was an applied and quasi-experimental design of the pretest and post-test with a control group. The statistical population included all mothers with preschool children with developmental neuropsychological learning disorders in Isfahan whose children were enrolled in kindergarten in the 2019-20 academic year. The sample of this study includes 30 people selected by convenience sampling method rand randomly divided into an experimental group (teaching therapy focused on compassion to parents) and a control group (each containing 15 people). The research instruments included the Preschool Children Behavioral Problems Questionnaire, the Preschool Children Aggression Scale, and the Children Anxiety Scale. Data were analyzed by SPSS software and univariate analysis of covariance. Results: The findings showed that compassion-focused therapy training was effective in reducing aggression (P < 0.001), behavioral problems (P < 0.001) and anxiety (P < 0.001) in children. Conclusion: Compassion-based therapy can be used to improve anger, behavioral problems, and anxiety in children. © 2020, Vesnu Publications. All rights reserved.