Comparison of the Effectiveness of Working Memory Educational Program and Unified Transdiagnostic Therapy on the Parent-Child Interactions: A Child-based Study

This study aimed comparison of the effectiveness of working memory educational program and unified transdiagnostic therapy on the parent-child interaction in children with attention deficit- hyperactivity disorder. The research method was semi-experimental to pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design with a control group. The statistical population included all 7 to 10 years old children with attention deficit- hyperactivity disorder with their mothers who attending the Asal counseling center in Tehran in 2022. Among them, 45 mothers and children with disorder were selected based on inclusion criteria and by purposive sampling. Then, using random method, they were assigned to 3 groups (15 people) "working memory educational program", "unified transdiagnostic therapy" and the control group. Working memory educational program and unified transdiagnostic therapy interventions were performed simultaneously for each child and mother in 12 sessions of 45 minutes, and the control group was on the waiting list. The research instrument included Parent-Child Relationship Survey (PCRS). The data were analyzed using repeated measure of covariance analysis in SPSS23 software. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups; and both interventions had a significant positive effect on the parent-child interaction of children with attention deficit- hyperactivity disorder, and the effect of these therapeutic interventions was stable in the follow-up phase (P<0.05).