Effect of a Cognitive Computer Game on Emotion Regulation of Children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Background and Aim : Emotion regulation is one of the most important skills that children and adolescents need in order to live productive and relaxed lives. Since Children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) often have problems in emotion regulation, using cognitive computer game designed to improve emotion regulation, has attracted many researchers.Methods : EmoGalaxy is designed to help these children in practicing their emotion regulation. Effectiveness of this intervention was evaluated by a quasi - experimental research with pretest-posttest and control group. 12 students in the experimental group participated in this program, and the control group, with … of similar level of ODD students, did not receive any treatment. The instruments used in this study were Child Symptom Inventory (CSI-4) and DSM-5 Check list. Also, Sheilds & Cicchetti Emotion Relation Checklist (1998) was used to measure emotion regulation. The obtained data were analyzed using Analysis of the Covariance (MANCOVA).Results : The findings showed significant differences (p<0.05) between the experimental and the control group in emotion regulation. Effect size is shown in the components of emotion regulationConclusion : using appropriately designed computer games for improving emotion regulation was discussed. Further discussions as well as suggestions for future research are presented.

Keywords:

Emotion regulation , Emotion regulation , Cognitive computer game , Oppositional Defiant Disorder.computer games , Oppositional Defiant Disorder