Comparing the Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy with Emotional Intelligence Training on Reducing Aggression among Adolescents with Conduct Disorder

Several therapeutic methods have been proposed for the treatment of children and adolescents with conduct disorder. Therefore, this study aimed to compare cognitive-behavioral therapy's effectiveness with emotional intelligence training on reducing aggression among adolescents with conduct disorder

The present study was an applied and semi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population of this study consisted of all adolescents with conduct disorder who were selected purposefully in Tehran Education Reform Center in 2019, among whom 90 were randomly assigned to three groups of cognitive-behavioral therapy, emotional intelligence training, and a control group. Data were collected using an aggression questionnaire in two periods before and after the intervention. Cognitive-behavioral therapy was performed in eight sessions of 60 minutes weekly for the first experimental group for two months. Emotional intelligence therapy was performed in eight 75-minute weekly sessions for two months for the second experimental group. The control group did not receive any treatment. Inferential analysis, univariate analysis of covariance was used, which was performed by SPSS software version 22.

The mean (SD) aggression score in the cognitive-behavioral group decreased from 93.8 (7.1) in the pre-test to 63.3 (7.6) in the post-test (P<0.001). Also, in emotional intelligence group it decreased from 93.2 (8.8) in the pre-test to 69.0 (7.4) in the post-test (P<0.001). A comparison of cognitive-behavioral therapy and emotional intelligence training showed that there was no difference in anger. In physical anger, hostility, and total aggression in the cognitive behavioral therapy group, there was a significant decrease compared to the emotional intelligence group, but in the verbal anger component, this decrease was more evident in the emotional intelligence group.

The study showed that cognitive-behavioral therapy and emotional intelligence training reduced aggression in adolescents with conduct disorder problems. In comparison with the two interventions, cognitive behavioral therapy was more effective in reducing aggression and components of physical anger and hostility than emotional intelligence training. At the same time, it was more effective in reducing the verbal anger component of emotional intelligence training.