Comparison of the Effectiveness of Child-Parent Relationship Trianing and Barkley’s Parent Training in Behavioral-Emotional Problems of Children with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder

One of the most common childhood disorders is attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The objective of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of child-parent relationship trianing and Barkley’s parent training in behavioral-emotional problems of children with ADHD. The research method was quasi-experimental with pretest-posttest and follow-up. The statistical population of the study included all mothers with a son with ADHD. These mothers’ children were studying in one of the primary schools in Ahvaz in the academic year 2021-2022. They were selected through random clusters sampling method and randomly were assigned to child- parent relationship therapy (n = 15), Barkley's parent training (n = 15) and control (n = 15) groups. Moreover, Clinical interview, Children’s Behavior Checklist and SNAP-IV training Scale were instruments of collecting data. Achenbach Behavior Scale was used to collect data. The child-parent relationship group participated in ten 60-minute sessions; the Barkley’s parent training group participated in fifteen 60-minute sessions. However, the control group did not receive any intervention. Data were analyzed using mixed analysis of variance using SPSS software (version 25).  The results of intragroup effects showed that child-parent relationship therapy and Barkley’s parent training were effective in the behavioral-emotional problems in the posttest phase (P < 0.05); they reduced children's emotional-behavioral problems. However, the effects were not sustained (P < 0.05). In addition, there was no significant difference between the effectiveness of child-parent relationship therapy and Barkley’s parent training in children's emotional-behavioral problems (P < 0.05). According to the results of the study, child-parent relationship therapy and Barkley’s parent training were effective in emotional-behavioral problems of children with ADHD. Therefore, clinical psychologists and counselors are recommended to use these methods to reduce emotional-behavioral problems of children with ADHD.