The Effectiveness of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy on Social Competence, Emotional Intelligence, and Aggression in Children with Separation Anxiety Disorder

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

2 Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Lahijan Branch, Lahijan, Iran

3 Islamic Azad University, Ardabil Branch, Ardabil, Iran

4 Faculty of Education and Psychology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

5 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

10.34172/jhad.1227

Abstract

Background: Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is a common childhood anxiety disorder that can impair social, emotional, and behavioral functioning. Children with SAD often struggle with social competence, emotional regulation, and aggression. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is a promising intervention for improving socio-emotional skills and reducing behavioral problems in this population. The present study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of PCIT in enhancing social competence, improving emotional intelligence, and reducing aggression among children with SAD.
Methods: This quasi-experimental interventional study was conducted on children with SAD who were referred to psychology and specialized anxiety consultation centers in Tehran in 2024. Participants were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to either the experimental (n = 18) or the control (n = 18) group. The experimental group participated in 10 60-minute PCIT sessions. Data were collected using the Social Competence Questionnaire (SCQ), the Modified Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale (MSEIS), and the Buss–Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ). Data analysis was performed using multivariate analysis of covariance in SPSS version 28.
Results: The findings revealed that PCIT decreases physical (F = 57.71), verbal (F = 68.53), hostility (F = 67.38), and anger (F = 59.39), and increases social competence (F = 56.28) and emotional intelligence (F = 65.01) in children with SAD (P < 0.01).
Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that PCIT is an effective intervention for children with SAD. PCIT significantly enhanced social competence and emotional intelligence while reducing aggression, including physical and verbal aggression, hostility, and anger. These results highlight the potential of PCIT as a valuable therapeutic approach for improving both socio-emotional functioning and behavioral outcomes in children with SAD.

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Main Subjects

References

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Health and Development Journal
Volume 14, Issue 1
May 2025
Pages 1-7

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History

  • Receive Date: 15 August 2025
  • Revise Date: 22 November 2025
  • Accept Date: 25 November 2025

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