The Effectiveness of the Dunn's Model of Sensory Processing Styles Training Program to Mothers of Preschool Children in Reducing their Children's Symptoms Anxiety Disorders

This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of teaching sensory processing styles based on Dunn's model to mothers in reducing the anxiety problems of their preschool children. The methodology was semi-experimental with pre-test-post-test designs with control and follow-up groups. The statistical population of the research was the mothers of anxious children in Karaj kindergartens. The sample included mothers of 40 children suffering from preschool anxiety, who were selected with Convenience Sampling. The research tools included preschool children's anxiety scale (PAS) and child form sensory processing questionnaire (CSP). The experimental group was intervened using the educational package of sensory processing styles based on Dunn's model. The research data was analyzed using the statistical method of multivariate analysis of covariance. Data analysis showed that there is a significant difference(p>0.05) between the mean scores of the subscales of separation anxiety, fear of physical injury, social anxiety and generalized anxiety in the post-test and follow-up, between the two experimental and control groups (p = 0.001, 21.26, 32 F=11/14, 24/56, 33/5) According to the results and considering the significant reduction of children's anxiety, the role of teaching sensory processing styles can be considered effective in reducing the anxiety symptoms of children with anxiety.