The Effec of Group Play Therapy based on Cognitive-Behavioral Approach on Emotional Self-Regulation, Social Acceptance, Cognitive and Emotional Empathy of Students with Low Self-Esteem

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Master of Science in Educational Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of group play therapy based on a cognitive-behavioral approach in improving cognitive and emotional empathy, emotional self-regulation, and social acceptance of students with low self-esteem. The study used a quasi-experimental design. The statistical population included students with low self-esteem in Zanjan in 2025. A sample of 30 students was selected from these students using a convenience sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The group play therapy program was implemented in 10 sessions of 60 minutes for the participants in the experimental group, while the participants in the control group did not receive such an intervention. Data were collected before and after the intervention and variables were measured using the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), Empathy Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (EmQue- CA), and the Ford and Robin Social Acceptance Questionnaire for Elementary School Children. Final analysis was performed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The findings showed that group play therapy based on cognitive behavioral approach significantly increased the level of cognitive empathy (0.495) at the p<0.05 level and improved emotional self-regulation (0.45) and social acceptance (0.166) at the p<0.05 level, but it did not have a significant effect on emotional empathy (0.002) at the p<0.05 level. It can be said that group play therapy based on a cognitive-behavioral approach has a significant effect on cognitive empathy, emotional self-regulation, and social acceptance of students with low self-esteem. It is suggested that this approach be used in educational and psychological programs in schools and treatment centers.

Keywords


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