Effectiveness of Mindfulness Skills Training on Social Competence and Alexitimia of Children with Symptoms of Anxiety Disorder

The purpose of the current research endeavor was to examine the efficacy of mindfulness skills training in enhancing the social competence and alexitimia of children who exhibit symptoms consistent with anxiety disorder. With experimental and control groups, a three-stage design (pre-test, post-test, and follow-up) and a two-month follow-up period, the research methodology was semi-experimental. The study’s statistical population comprised Tehran-based children in the fourth and fifth grades of primary education during the academic year 2020-2021 who exhibited symptoms consistent with anxiety disorders. A purposive sampling method was employed to select 36 children (21 girls and 15 boys) who exhibited symptoms of anxiety disorder. These children were then randomly assigned to either the experimental or control groups. Ten and a half-hours of mindfulness skills training were allocated to the students in the experimental group. The present investigation employed the Children’s Anxiety Scale (CAS), the Alexitimia Questionnaire (IQ), and the Social Competence Scale (SCS). The data were subjected to analysis using mixed ANOVA in the SPSS-23 software. Children exhibiting symptoms of anxiety disorder benefit significantly from mindfulness skills training in terms of social competence (p<0001, Eta=0.55, F=42.39) and alexitimia (p<0001, Eta=0.53, F=38.16), according to the findings. Based on the results obtained from the current investigation, it can be inferred that mindfulness skills training may serve as an effective approach to enhance social competence and reduce anxiety symptoms in children diagnosed with anxiety disorder. This is achieved through the development of emotional and five-sensory awareness, as well as the incorporation of mindfulness practices into daily life.