The effect of emotion-oriented parent-child interactive therapy on improving executive functions in children with depression

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of emotion-based parent-child interaction therapy on improving executive functions. The present study was quasi-experimental research with pre-test and post-test design with control group. The statistical population of the study included all boys with depression disorder at the age range of 4 to 5.5 years in Isfahan. Thirty children and parents were selected by purposeful sampling method and were randomly assigned to two equal groups. Preschool Children Emotion Checklist (Lobby et al., 2004) and the Parents' Reaction to Child's Negative Emotions Scale (Mirabel, 2015) were used to collect data. The mentioned therapy was implemented in 14 sessions of 1 hour per week for the subjects in the experimental group, but the control group did not receive any treatment. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and analysis of covariance. The results of analysis of covariance showed that emotion-oriented parent-child interactive therapy had a significant effect on improving executive functions with a coefficient of 0.81, also this treatment on the components of executive functions including change, inhibition, planning, emotional control And working memory has been effective. Therefore, parent-child interactive therapy focused emotional on parent's reactions can be used as a therapeutic strategy for parents to improve executive functions.