The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioural therapy on emotional regulation and quality of life in children with Haemophilia.

Abstract

Haemophilia has known as an inherited bleeding disorder accompanied by remarkable pain, emotional distress, and impaired quality of life (QoL) and emotional regulation. Psychological interventions, such as cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), have cost-effectiveness to promote emotional well-being, QoL and emotional regulation; however, they have been scarcely used in the treatment of haemophilia. This research aimed at examining the effect of CBT on emotional regulation and QoL in children with haemophilia using quasi-experimental research with pretest and post-test design and a control group. 30 subjects were selected using convenient sampling and divided into two groups (n=15). Both groups responded to the QoL questionnaire, the Persian version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) developed and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ-k) in the pretest. The experimental group was then subjected to the CBT intervention through 9 sessions. The analysis of covariance was used for data analysis. There was a significant increase in the QoL and emotion regulation in the experimental group than the control group. The CBT training was effective to stop negative thinking and control their anger at school and also to adopt more appropriate strategies to deal efficaciously with concerns in social situations. Awareness about the thoughts, feelings and behaviours and being able to solve problems enables children to have better social relations and friendships with peers and also in other social situations. It also can increase the QoL and emotion regulation.