The Effectiveness of Thought Stopping Therapy Reducing Anxiety Among Mothers With Under-Five Stunted Children: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Background: Children with stunted growth experience impaired development low motor and cognitive abilities. Mothers with stunted children often experience anxiety and fear about their children future regarding their developmental delays and guilt about their children's condition and impact relationship between mother and child. Objective: Study aims to determine effect of thought stopping therapy on anxiety levels of mothers stunted children under five. Methods: A quasi-experiment with a pre-post test and control group design. Purposive sampling technique to obtain a sample comprising 60 mothers, of whom 30 were in the intervention group and 30 were in the control group. The intervention group, maternal anxiety was measured before and after the thought stopping therapy was given. Therapy was given over 3 sessions for 3 days. The control group given deep breathing relaxation techniques to reduceanxiety. Anxiety levels were measured using HARS. The Wilcoxon and MannWhitney tests analyzed data obtained. Results: There was a significant difference in anxiety levels before and after thought stopping therapy intervention and standard education (p 0.001). Conclusion: Thought stopping therapy is effective in reducing anxiety in mothers of stunted children under five.