Comparing the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy and parent-child interaction therapy on parent-child conflict in children with separation anxiety disorder

Anxiety disorders have significant negative effects on academic performance, relationships with peers and family functioning of children. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy and parent-child interaction therapy on parent-child conflict in children with separation anxiety disorder.

The present study was an applied and quasi-experimental design of pre-test-post-test and follow-up with control group. The statistical population of this study included all children (girls and boys) with separation anxiety disorder in Sari during the first six months of 2021. The sample consisted of 30 patients referred to Bamdad Counseling Center and Bauer Counseling Center who were selected by available sampling method and randomly assigned to two experimental groups of cognitive-behavioral therapy and parent-child interaction therapy and control group were placed on the waiting list. Data were obtained using strauss parent-child conflict questionnaire (1990), Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (1997). Data were analyzed using repeated variance analysis and SPSS-26 software.

The results showed that there was a significant difference between the two groups of cognitive-behavioral therapy and parent-child interaction therapy on parent-child conflict in children with separation anxiety disorder (F= 14.09, P>0.001) and parent-child interaction therapy had a greater impact on parent-child conflict in children with separation anxiety disorder (P<0.001).

Therefore, it can be concluded that parent-child interaction therapy can be an effective intervention method for improving parent-child conflict in children with separation anxiety disorder.