1- PhD Student, Department of Psychology, Bi.C., Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Iran
2- Department of Psychology, Bi.C., Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Iran ,Samane.tabatabaee@iau.ac.ir
3- Department of Psychology, Bi.C., Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Iran
4- Department of Psychology, Bi.C., Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Iran
2- Department of Psychology, Bi.C., Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Iran ,
3- Department of Psychology, Bi.C., Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Iran
4- Department of Psychology, Bi.C., Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Iran
Abstract: (65 Views)
Objective: Anxiety is among the most prevalent psychological problems in childhood and is frequently associated with impaired emotion regulation and reduced social functioning. Identifying accessible and developmentally appropriate interventions is therefore essential. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of emotional disclosure through drawing on social functioning and emotion regulation difficulties in anxious children.
Methods: A quasi-experimental design with pretest, posttest, and a two-month follow-up, including a control group, was employed. The study population consisted of children aged 8–10 years in Qaen, Iran, in 2024. Thirty children who met the inclusion criteria were selected using purposive sampling and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 15) or a control group (n = 15). Following the pretest, the experimental group participated in an emotional disclosure intervention based on drawing, delivered in eight 45-minute sessions held twice weekly. The control group received no intervention during this period. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26.
Results: The results indicated a significant effect of the intervention on both outcome variables (p < 0.05). Large effect sizes were observed for social functioning (η² = 0.62) and emotion regulation difficulties (η² = 0.59). Improvements achieved at posttest were largely maintained at the two-month follow-up.
Conclusions: The findings suggest that emotional disclosure through drawing is an effective and sustainable intervention for enhancing social functioning and improving emotion regulation in anxious children, supporting its applicability in child mental health settings
Methods: A quasi-experimental design with pretest, posttest, and a two-month follow-up, including a control group, was employed. The study population consisted of children aged 8–10 years in Qaen, Iran, in 2024. Thirty children who met the inclusion criteria were selected using purposive sampling and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 15) or a control group (n = 15). Following the pretest, the experimental group participated in an emotional disclosure intervention based on drawing, delivered in eight 45-minute sessions held twice weekly. The control group received no intervention during this period. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26.
Results: The results indicated a significant effect of the intervention on both outcome variables (p < 0.05). Large effect sizes were observed for social functioning (η² = 0.62) and emotion regulation difficulties (η² = 0.59). Improvements achieved at posttest were largely maintained at the two-month follow-up.
Conclusions: The findings suggest that emotional disclosure through drawing is an effective and sustainable intervention for enhancing social functioning and improving emotion regulation in anxious children, supporting its applicability in child mental health settings
Type of Study: Original |
Subject:
Educational Psychology
Received: 2025/09/17 | Accepted: 2025/12/22
Received: 2025/09/17 | Accepted: 2025/12/22
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