Comparison of the Effectiveness of Anger Management Training based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Approach and Narrative Therapy on Academic Self- efficiency and Academic Resilience in Students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Whereas Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) negatively affects the studentschr('39') academic performance and social relations; hence, failure to diagnose and treat it may result in serious pathological problems in their future life. Therefore, present study was done to compare the effectiveness of anger management training and narrative therapy on academic self-efficacy and academic resilience in students with ADHD.

The present study was a quasi-experimental research with pretest-posttest control group design. The sample included thirty 11 to 12 -year old male students with ADHD who were studying at grades five and six of primary school in Bandaranzali in 2019. They were selected by convenience sampling and then randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group (10 students per group). To collect the data, Parent Rating Scale (Conners, 1990), Academic Resilience Questionnaire (Martin, 2002), and Academic Self-efficacy Scale (Jinks, 1999) were used. The first experimental group received twelve 60-min sessions of anger management training and the second experimental group received eight 45-min sessions of narrative therapy whereas the control group underwent no intervention. All the three groups were assessed at pretest, posttest and follow-up stages. ANCOVA and repeated measurers ANOVA were used to analyze the data.  

Results showed that there was a significant difference between anger management training and narrative therapy in terms of their effectiveness on academic self-efficacy (F=403.2, P<0.000) and academic resilience (F=789.992, P<0.000). Considering academic self-efficacy, narrative therapy was more effective than anger management therapy (P<0.001) and in terms of academic resilience, anger management training was more effective than narrative therapy (P<0.001). Also, there was significant difference between anger management therapy and narrative therapy in terms of their effect on academic self-efficacy (F2.588=116.407, P<0.000) and academic resilience (F3.086=385.648, P, 0.000) in two-month follow-up period.    

Results showed that narrative therapy was more effective than anger management training in terms of increasing the academic self-efficacy. However, anger management training was more effective than narrative therapy in increasing academic resilience. By facilitating training, helping to behavior shaping and satisfying the affective needs of students, narrative therapy can be effective. Also, through training the problem-solving techniques, anger management training can result in self-control improvement, psychological adaptation, adaptation in interpersonal relations and positive performance in tasks.