Evaluating the Effectiveness of Cognitive Intervention Programs and Family-Based Play Therapy on Reduction of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms of Children with Brain Tumor

Cancer and its special treatments and hospitalization in the cold environment of the hospital have deep psychological effects on children.  The present study was conducted with the aim of determining the effectiveness of the cognitive intervention program and family-oriented play therapy on depression and anxiety of children with cancer.

Methods and Materials:

 The study is a time series quasi-experimental design with multiple groups. The sample included 45 children between 7 and 10 years old with brain tumors selected from Mahak's Pediatric Cancer Hospital purposefully and by considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria. After matching in terms of age and gender, the subjects were randomly replaced in 3 groups of 15 people (group 1: cognitive rehabilitation; group 2: cognitive rehabilitation with play therapy; group 3: control group). The experimental groups received relevant interventions in 8 sessions. The pre-test, post-test and 1-month follow-up of the participants of all 3 groups were conducted with the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) and the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS). In order to analyze the data, split-plot ANOVA design (SPANOVA) was used.

The results of the study indicated that both interventions had created significant changes in the variables of depression and anxiety in the experimental groups (significance level 0.01). Depression and anxiety in children of both experimental groups, especially in the cognitive rehabilitation group with play therapy, were reduced compared to the control group.

Based on the findings of the study, it can be concluded that rehabilitation and play therapy, especially rehabilitation with play therapy, which had a more stable effect, can be used to reduce depression and anxiety in children with various types of brain tumors. Therefore, the use of rehabilitation therapy integrated with recreational play therapy is recommended to resolve these children's problems more deeply and permanently.