Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Interventions and Art Therapy on Emotional Regulation of Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Abstract

This study was planned to explore the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions and art therapy on the emotional regulation of children with ADHD. In this quasi-experimental study (pre and post assessment), participants were diagnosed ADHD children aged between 6-12 years (M= 7.73, SD = 1.75). A purposive sampling technique was employed to select participants, and data were collected from the Autism Centers of Lahore, Pakistan. Standardized instruments, including the Emotional Regulation Checklist, the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale, and the Conners Teacher and Parent Rating Scale, were used for the pre-assessment of the study participants. Participants were divided into three groups. Group A, Group B, and Group C received art therapy, mindfulness-based intervention, and a combination of both therapies, respectively. Participants undergo an interim assessment after three weeks, and a final post- assessment is conducted for each study group participant. Results indicated the significant enhancement of emotional regulation among children. The findings reveal that both therapies are effective for ADHD children with ADHD to enhance their emotional regulation. There was a significant effect of time on emotional regulation across all groups, F(2, 42) = 13.84, p < .001, indicating that emotional regulation scores changed over time. These results suggested that emotional regulation scores were significantly impacted by the passage of time, with a general decline observed across the groups. However, the greater effect over time was seen in Group C