Comparison of The Effectiveness of Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) and Schema Therapy on Mothers on Separation Anxiety of ۵ to ۶ years old children

Background: One of the most common anxiety disorders among children is separation anxiety disorder. Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) and Schema Therapy on Mothers on Separation anxiety of ۵ to ۶-year-old children. Methods: The study was a quasi-experimental research with pre-test, post-test, follow-up, and control groups. The statistical population was all mothers of ۵-۶-year-old children with separation anxiety of Shahin Shahr in ۲۰۲۳. Of these, ۴۵ people were selected by purposive sampling based on two standard deviations above the average of separation anxiety in the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale parent version and other research inclusion criteria. They were randomly assigned to ۲ experimental and one control group (۱۵ people each). The research instruments included the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale parent version, which the mothers completed in three stages: pre-test, post-test, and ۳-month follow-up. Data were analyzed using repeated variance measures, mixed design, and Bonferroni's post hoc test. Results: The results showed that both treatments improved the children's Separation anxiety. However, the effectiveness of Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) on Mothers has been more effective in enhancing the children's Separation anxiety (P<۰.۰۵). Conclusion: Both treatments, especially Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) on Mothers, affect improving the children's Separation anxiety and can be used.

Keywords:

anxiety , Separation , schema therapy , Child