Comparison of the Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Schema Therapy on Emotional Regulation and Resilience of Mothers with Children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Schema Therapy (ST) on emotional regulation and resilience of mothers with children diagnosed with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

 Methods and Materials: 

The research method was semi-experimental with a pre-test, post-test control group design, and follow-up. The statistical population consisted of all mothers with children aged 3 to 7 years with ADHD in Tehran in 2023. From this population, 45 participants were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to two experimental groups (each with 15 participants) and one control group (15 participants). The CBT group received 10 sessions of 60 minutes each, while the ST group received 12 sessions of 60 minutes each, and the control group was placed on a waiting list. The instruments used in the present study included the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ; Garnefski & Kraaij, 2006) and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC; Connor & Davidson, 2003). Data analysis was conducted in two sections: descriptive and inferential (repeated measures analysis of variance). 

Results indicated a significant difference between the ST and CBT groups at the 0.05 level for the components of positive refocusing and positive reappraisal. Thus, considering the post-test means, the ST method had a more significant effect on changing the components of positive refocusing and positive reappraisal compared to the CBT group. Additionally, results showed a significant difference between ST and CBT at the 0.05 level for resilience, indicating that ST had a more significant effect on changing resilience compared to the CBT group. Furthermore, the present study demonstrated that CBT and ST could improve the study variables in mothers with children with ADHD during the follow-up stage.  

This study highlights the significant impact of Schema Therapy over Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in enhancing emotional regulation and resilience among mothers with children diagnosed with ADHD. The findings suggest that both therapeutic approaches are beneficial, but Schema Therapy offers a more substantial improvement in the measured variables, which sustains over time.