The Effectiveness of Solution-Focused Child Skills Training and Acceptance and Commitment-Based Play Therapy on Social Competence in Anxious Children

Aims: Anxiety disorders profoundly impair children's mental health and social functioning, manifesting in symptoms such as inattention, cognitive deficits, and behavioral avoidance. Early intervention is crucial to mitigate these effects. This study comparatively evaluated the efficacy of Solution-Focused Child Skills Training (SFCST) and Acceptance and Commitment-Based Play Therapy (ACPT) in enhancing social competence among anxious children. Materials & Methods: A quasi-experimental clinical trial was conducted with a pre-test, post-test, and three-month follow-up design, incorporating a control group. The population consisted of anxious children aged ۹–۱۲ years from schools in Tehran's District ۵ during the ۲۰۲۴–۲۰۲۵ academic year. Sixty female students, diagnosed by specialists and meeting inclusion/exclusion criteria, were selected and randomly allocated to three equal groups (n=۲۰ each): SFCST, ACPT, and control. Interventions involved eight ۶۰-minute weekly sessions tailored to each experimental group. Social competence was assessed via the parent-rated Social Competence Scale (SCS-P). Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA in SPSS version ۲۶. Findings: Results revealed significant intergroup differences in social competence (P<۰.۰۰۱). SFCST yielded markedly greater improvements than ACPT, demonstrating superior efficacy. No significant differences emerged between post-test and follow-up scores across groups, indicating sustained intervention effects. Conclusion: SFCST outperforms ACPT in bolstering social competence in anxious children, attributable to its structured framework, emphasis on actionable solutions, and targeted skill-building. These findings advocate for SFCST as a preferred, efficient therapeutic modality in pediatric anxiety management, warranting broader clinical adoption and further longitudinal research.

کلیدواژه ها:

Anxiety ، Acceptance and commitment therapy ، Play therapy ، Social skills ، Child