Comparing the effectiveness of mother's cognitive behavioral group training and children's mindfulness training on the anxiety of 9- to 12-year-old children

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral group training for mothers and mindfulness training for children on the anxiety of 9-12 year old children.

The statistical population of this research included 9-12-year-old Armenian elementary school children in Tehran in the academic year 2019-2020, from among whom 30 children were selected using the available sampling method based on the cut-off line of the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children by March et al. (1997), who were randomly assigned to two Cognitive behavioral training group for mothers and mindfulness for children and the control group. The mothers of the first intervention group received 8 sessions of cognitive behavioral training lasting 90 minutes each session, and the children of the second intervention group received 8 sessions of mindfulness training lasting 90 minutes each session. The data of the present study were analyzed using the analysis of variance with repeated measurements method.

The results of the present study showed that cognitive-behavioral group training for mothers (F(2 & 36)= 8.86, P< 0.01) and mindfulness group training for children (F(36, 2)= 5.43, P< 0.01) compared to the control group, reduced the average anxiety in children.

Based on the findings of the present research, it can be concluded that cognitive behavioral group training for mothers and mindfulness for children can be used to reduce children's anxiety.