Comparison of the Effectiveness of Resilience Training and Cognitive Emotion Regulation Training on Emotional Processing and Anxiety in Children with Sluggish Cognitive Tempo

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of resilience training and cognitive emotion regulation training on emotional processing and anxiety in children with sluggish cognitive tempo. Methodology: The research method was quasi-experimental with a pretest-posttest and follow-up design including a control group. The statistical population consisted of all 9 to 12-year-old male elementary school students diagnosed with sluggish cognitive tempo in the city of Tabriz in 2023. The sample included 45 participants selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The first experimental group received resilience training over 10 sessions of 45 minutes each across four weeks, while the second experimental group received cognitive emotion regulation training in the same format. The control group did not receive any intervention. Research instruments included the Sluggish Cognitive Tempo Questionnaire, the Emotional Processing Scale, and the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance. Findings: The results indicated that both resilience training and cognitive emotion regulation training significantly influenced emotional processing and anxiety in children with sluggish cognitive tempo (p < .05). However, follow-up tests revealed no significant difference between the two intervention methods in terms of emotional processing and anxiety (p > .05). Conclusion: The findings of this study highlight the importance of implementing targeted psychological interventions, such as resilience and cognitive emotion regulation training, to enhance emotional components in children with sluggish cognitive tempo, emphasizing the need to address their needs in educational programs.