Effectiveness of Maher’s Fluid Intelligence Psycho-Educational Intervention Package on Cognitive Emotion Regulation in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Maher’s fluid intelligence psycho-educational intervention package on improving cognitive emotion regulation in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Methodology: This research was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest control group design. The statistical population included 10-12-year-old boys with ADHD who had visited counseling and psychological service centers for children in Tehran during the first half of 2023. From this population, 30 participants were selected through multistage cluster sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The data collection tools included the Conners’ Parent Rating Scale-Revised (CPRCBP) and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire for Children (CERQ-K-P). The experimental group underwent 10 sessions of 45-minute group interventions, while the control group remained on the waiting list. Findings: Results of the Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) showed a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the increase of adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies, specifically positive refocusing and refocus on planning, and the decrease of maladaptive strategies (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of adaptive strategies such as acceptance, positive reappraisal, and perspective-taking (p>0.05). Conclusion: Maher’s fluid intelligence psycho-educational intervention package effectively improves emotional regulation and cognitive performance in children with ADHD. By enhancing fluid intelligence and working memory, this intervention helps children better manage the challenges associated with ADHD and achieve better emotional regulation.