پژوهان (Mar 2024)
Emotion Regulation and Sleep Habits in Socially Anxious Children: Effects of Emotion-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Social anxiety disorder in children and adolescents is associated with some psychological problems that require effective treatment. In this regard, the present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of emotion-focused cognitive behavioral therapy on emotion regulation and sleep habits of children with social anxiety. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted with a pretest-posttest control group design. The research population included primary school students in the fourth to sixth grades in Qom City, Iran in 2019 academic year. In total, 46 students whose scores were higher than 29.5 in the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, were selected and randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. The participants answered the pre-test Emotion Regulation Checklist and Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire. Afterward, the intervention group participated in 16 sessions of therapy and the control group remained on the waiting list. Finally, the participants were evaluated at the post-test stage and the collected data were examined by analysis of covariance and SPSS software. Results: Based on the results of multivariate analysis of covariance, after the control of pre-test effects, there was a significant difference in the linear combination of emotion regulation and sleep habits variables of the two groups (Wilks' lambda=0.063, F10,23=34.182, P=0.001). The tests of univariate analysis of covariance also showed a significant increase in emotion regulation and a significant decrease in emotional lability/negativity and sleep disorders (except the sleep onset delay) in the intervention group after the therapeutic sessions. Conclusion: Emotion-focused cognitive behavioral therapy is an important and effective treatment for emotion regulation and sleep habits in socially anxious children who are referred to mental health professionals.
