Comparison of the Effectiveness of Mentalization-Based and Cognitive Emotion Regulation Interventions on Working Memory and Theory of Mind in Children with Sluggish Cognitive Tempo Disorder
Keywords:
Mentalization, cognitive emotion regulation, working memory, theory of mind, Sluggish cognitive tempoAbstract
The present study aimed to determine the difference in the effectiveness of mentalization-based intervention and cognitive emotion regulation on working memory and theory of mind in children diagnosed with Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT). The research employed a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up with a control group. The statistical population included all male students aged 9 to 11 years exhibiting symptoms of SCT in public schools in Urmia during the 2023–2024 academic year. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 45 participants were selected using purposive sampling and were randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group (15 participants in the first experimental group, 15 in the second, and 15 in the control group). The instruments used in the study were the standardized SCT Questionnaire by Penny et al. (2009), the Digit Span subtest from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale (2012), and the Theory of Mind Questionnaire by Steerneman (1999). In the pre-test phase, participants in both the experimental and control groups completed the research questionnaires. Subsequently, the first experimental group received the mentalization-based intervention, while the second group received the cognitive emotion regulation intervention. The control group remained on the waitlist and did not receive any psychological intervention until the post-test phase. At the end of the intervention period, participants in all groups completed the post-test questionnaires again. A follow-up assessment was conducted three months later to evaluate the stability of the intervention effects. Data were analyzed using mixed analysis of variance. The results indicated a significant difference in the mean scores of working memory and theory of mind between the two intervention groups—mentalization and emotion regulation. The findings showed that mentalization-based intervention was more effective than emotion regulation. Furthermore, the results of the post hoc test over time demonstrated significant differences in working memory and theory of mind scores across pre-test, post-test, and follow-up phases. The differences observed from pre-test to post-test in both variables indicated the effectiveness of the interventions. Moreover, changes from post-test to follow-up in both variables suggested the durability of intervention effects, with the mentalization-based approach showing more persistent outcomes than cognitive emotion regulation.
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