Российский психологический журнал (Apr 2022)
A Study on the Effectiveness of Psychotherapeutic Interventions in Different Age Groups of Anxious Children and Adolescents
Abstract
Introduction. Mental health of the young generation is one of today’s most urgent problems. This study examines the impact of various psychotherapeutic interventions on anxiety in children and adolescents. Methods. The study sample comprised 83 school students aged 7–16 years. We assessed anxiety using (a) the projective test by R. Tamml, M. Dorkey, and V. Amen (group 1), (b) the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children, MASC (groups 2–4), and (c) the Spielberger–Khanin scale (group 5). We used the following psychotherapeutic interventions: cognitive-behavioral training (CBT), biofeedback (BFB), sandtray therapy, and fairytale therapy. Results. In the group of first-graders aged 7.1 ± 0.07 years (group 1), we found a significant (p < 0.01) 1.6-point decrease in anxiety levels after psychotherapeutic sessions. In group 2 (9.3 ± 0.14 years), there was a 1.5–4-point decrease in anxiety levels for the MASC scales 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 10 (p < 0.01). In group 3, school students aged 10.5 ± 0.09 years showed a significant 0.5–2-point decrease in anxiety levels for the MASC scales 1, 3, 4, 7, and 10. After 8 months of CBT in the group of school students aged 12.4 ± 0.11 years (group 4), we observed a 1–3-point decrease in anxiety levels for 9 MASC scales (p < 0.01). After 1.5 months of biofeedback training in group 5, adolescents aged 15.5 ± 0.17 years demonstrated a significant decrease in the levels of state anxiety and trait anxiety (up to average levels). Discussion. Situations related to examinations, self-expression, and judgments by others are the most stressful for school students. In general, any psychotherapeutic interventions represent an effective way to reduce anxiety levels in children and adolescents and to improve their emotional states and school adaptation.
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