اثربخشی بازی‌درمانی کودک‌محور بر تنظیم هیجانی و علاقه اجتماعی کودکان مبتلا به اختلال اضطراب جدایی

کیمیا پاکدامن آملی; ارسلان خان محمدی

Authors

Kimia Pakdaman Amoli Department of Psychology, AM.C., Islamic Azad University, Amol, Iran. Author https://orcid.org/0009-0006-4576-3839
Arsalan Khanmohammadi Department of Psychology, AM.C., Islamic Azad University, Amol, Iran. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7000-331X

Keywords:

Separation Anxiety Disorder, Child, Centered Play Therapy, Emotion Regulation, Social Functioning, Preschool Children

Abstract

Introduction and Aim: Separation anxiety disorder may be accompanied by emotion-regulation difficulties and impaired social abilities, adversely affecting children’s psychosocial functioning. This study investigated the effectiveness of child-centered play therapy in improving emotion regulation and social interest among children with separation anxiety disorder.

Methodology: This applied quantitative study employed a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with a control group. The statistical population comprised 89 boys and girls aged five to six years with separation anxiety disorder who attended counseling and psychological service centers supervised by the Welfare Organization in Amol during the first quarter of 2025. Thirty eligible children were recruited through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to an experimental group or a control group, with 15 children in each group. The experimental group received eight sessions of Landreth’s child-centered play therapy, whereas the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using the Separation Anxiety Assessment Scale–Parent Version, Emotion Regulation Checklist–Parent Form, and Social Interest Scale for Iranian Children. Data were analyzed in SPSS version 24 using multivariate analysis of covariance.

Findings: After controlling for pretest scores, the multivariate group effect on emotion-regulation components was significant (Wilks’ Lambda=0.238, F(2,25)=40.006, p<0.001, η²=0.762). Child-centered play therapy significantly reduced emotional lability/negativity (F=36.791, p<0.001, η²=0.586) and improved emotion regulation (F=42.407, p<0.001, η²=0.620). The multivariate effect on social-interest components was also significant (Wilks’ Lambda=0.380, F(4,21)=8.577, p<0.001, η²=0.620). Significant group differences were found in responsibility–task performance (F=10.156, p=0.004, η²=0.293), communication and empathy (F=4.892, p=0.006, η²=0.271), assertiveness–confidence (F=11.037, p=0.003, η²=0.315), and equality versus inferiority–superiority (F=8.052, p=0.009, η²=0.251).

Conclusion: Child-centered play therapy appears effective in improving emotion regulation and multiple dimensions of social interest among preschool children with separation anxiety disorder. Its incorporation into counseling, preschool, and child psychological services is therefore recommended.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

American Psychiatric, A. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. American Psychiatric Association.

Ayaz, R., & Ulusoy Doğmuş, Y. (2025). The effectiveness of child-centered play therapy on anxiety: A systematic literature review. Sosyal Politika Çalışmaları Dergisi, 25(67), 398-425.

Chauhan, N., Sachdeva, D., Malhotra, S., & Gupta, N. (2024). Play therapy: An analytical mode of therapy in children. Journal of Indian Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 09731342241238524.

Crisci, G., Cardillo, R., & Mammarella, I. C. (2024). Social functioning in children and adolescents with ADHD and autism spectrum disorder: A cross-disorder comparison. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 53, 1-14.

Daniel, S., Berkovits, L., Eisenhower, A., & Blacher, J. (2025). Child-centred play therapy and rhythmic relating improves emotion regulation in autism: A single-N pilot intervention study. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 25(1), e12671.

Elbay, R. Y., Görmez, A., Kılıç, A., & Avcı, S. H. (2021). Separation anxiety disorder among outpatients with major depressive disorder: Prevalence and clinical correlates. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 105, 152219.

Ezzati, S., & Visani, M. (2022). Effectiveness of child-centered play therapy on emotional and social skills of children with autism spectrum disorder. Teacher Educational Literacy, 2, 79-90.

Francis, J., Chin, T. C., & Vella-Brodrick, D. (2020). Examining emotional literacy development using a brief online positive psychology intervention with primary school children. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(20), 7612.

Gross, J. J. (2015). Emotion regulation: Current status and future prospects. Psychological Inquiry, 26(1), 1-26.

Gross, J. J., & John, O. P. (2003). Individual differences in two emotion regulation processes: Implications for affect, relationships, and well-being. Journal of personality and social psychology, 85(2), 348.

Gupta, N., Chaudhary, R., Gupta, M., Ikehara, L. H., Zubiar, F., & Madabushi, J. S. (2023). Play therapy as effective options for school-age children with emotional and behavioral problems: A case series. Cureus, 15(6).

Kałużna-Wielobób, A., Strus, W., & Cieciuch, J. (2020). Community feeling and narcissism as two opposite phenomena. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 515895.

Karaytuğ, M. O., Tamam, L., Demirkol, M. E., Namlı, Z., Gürbüz, M., & Yeşiloğlu, C. (2023). Impact of childhood trauma and adult separation anxiety disorder on quality of life in individuals with schizophrenia. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 181-196.

Knell, S. M., & Dasari, M. (2006). Cognitive-behavioral play therapy for children with anxiety and phobias. In Short-Term Play Therapy for Children (pp. 22-50).

Köroğlu, A. E. (2024). Treatment of separation anxiety disorder case with child-centered play therapy: Case report. Turkey Journal of Integrative Psychotherapy.

Landreth, G. L. (2023). Child-centered play therapy. In Play Therapy (pp. 53-98). Routledge.

Lebowitz, E. R., Omer, H., Hermes, H., & Scahill, L. (2014). Parent training for childhood anxiety disorders: The SPACE program. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 21(4), 456-469.

Mohammadi, G., Pirani, Z., & Zangeneh Motlagh, F. (2022). Comparing the effectiveness of philosophy for children education and cognitive-behavioral group play therapy on social functioning in children with separation anxiety disorder. Culture of Counseling and Psychotherapy, 13(49), 219-248.

Mohammadi Keshka, S., Abolghasemi, A., & Kafi Masouleh, S. M. (2022). The effect of group play therapy combined with painting on internalizing and externalizing problems of children with separation anxiety disorder. Exceptional Education, 5(171), 57-70.

Najmi, M., Ghorban Jahromi, R., Sadipour, E., & Karimzadeh, M. (2024). Comparing the effectiveness of attachment-based play therapy and parent-child relationship therapy on the psychological well-being of children with separation anxiety disorder. Journal of Psychological Science, 23(140), 123-144.

Perryman, K. L., Robinson, S., Schoonover, T. J., & Conroy, J. (2024). Psychophysiological insights into child-centered play therapy for trauma: A case study. Trauma Care, 4(3), 208-218.

Rezazadeh, F., & Najarpour, S. (2025). Effectiveness of child-centered play therapy on social problem-solving skills and academic achievement in students with learning disabilities. Teaching and Learning Research, 20(82).

Robinson, H. B., Ray, D. C., & Lemberger-Truelove, M. (2024). Impact of child-centered play therapy on the mindful expressions and social-emotional competencies of Head Start preschoolers. International Journal of Play Therapy, 33(2), 67-80.

Rogers, C. R. (2017). Client-centered therapy.

Scaini, S., Ogliari, A., Eley, T. C., Zavos, H. M., & Battaglia, M. (2012). Genetic and environmental contributions to separation anxiety: A meta-analytic approach to twin data. Depression and Anxiety, 29(9), 754-761.

Schneider, R. L., Arch, J. J., Landy, L. N., & Hankin, B. L. (2018). The longitudinal effect of emotion regulation strategies on anxiety levels in children and adolescents. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 47(6), 978-991.

Shafietabar, M., Akbari Chermahini, S., & Molaei Yasavoli, M. (2020). Factorial structure and psychometric properties of the emotion regulation checklist-parent form. Quarterly Journal of Child Mental Health, 7(3), 80-95.

Shamsabadi, F., Mirzaian, B., & Abbasi, G. (2024). Comparison of the effectiveness of attachment-based play therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy on emotional regulation and quality of life in children with separation anxiety disorder. KMAN Counseling & Psychology Nexus, 2(2), 220-229.

Somerville, M. P., MacIntyre, H., Harrison, A., & Mauss, I. B. (2024). Emotion controllability beliefs and young people's anxiety and depression symptoms: A systematic review. Adolescent Research Review, 9(1), 33-51.

Talaienejad, N., Ghanbari, S., Mazaheri, M. A., & Aaghari, A. (2016). Preliminary properties of Separation Anxiety Assessment Scale (Parent Version). Developmental Psychology, 12(47), 225-235.

Walker, K. L., & Ray, D. C. (2024). Outdoor child-centered play therapy: A pilot study on outcomes. International Journal of Play Therapy, 33(1), 52-64.

Young, K. S., Sandman, C. F., & Craske, M. G. (2019). Positive and negative emotion regulation in adolescence: Links to anxiety and depression. Brain Sciences, 9(4), 76.