The Effectiveness of Attachment-Based Play Therapy on Parent-Child Relationship and Emotional Regulation in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Keywords:
Attachment-based play therapy, ADHD, parent-child relationship, emotion regulation, psychological interventionAbstract
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of attachment-based play therapy in improving the parent-child relationship and emotion regulation in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Methods and Materials: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with a pretest-posttest-follow-up design. Thirty children aged 6–10 with ADHD and their parents were selected from psychological centers in Tehran and randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). The intervention group received 10 sessions of attachment-based play therapy (90 minutes each), while the control group was placed on a waiting list. The Parent-Child Relationship Scale (PCRS) and the Emotion Regulation Checklist (ERC) were used for assessment. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests.
Findings: Results showed significant improvements in the parent-child relationship (F(2,54) = 92.47, p < 0.001, η² = 0.77) and emotion regulation (F(2,54) = 88.62, p < 0.001, η² = 0.76) in the intervention group compared to the control group. Improvements were maintained at the 5-month follow-up, with significant differences in pairwise comparisons.
Conclusion: Attachment-based play therapy is an effective approach for enhancing parent-child bonding and emotion regulation skills in children with ADHD. The active involvement of parents and use of play as a therapeutic medium are key contributors to the success of this intervention.
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