Objectives Anxiety is one of the most common disorders in childhood. Some of the treatment approaches in clinical psychology determined the treatment of the anxiety symptoms in the interactional field, and others defined it in cognitive framework. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of cognitive behavioral treatment based on anxiety prevention program with parent-child interaction therapy on the anxiety index of pre-school children with parents under methadone maintenance therapy. Methods This study is based on the combined design of pre-test, post-test and follow-up for six months. It included mothers under methadone maintenance therapy who were referred to two methadone treatment clinics in Tehran. Seventy-five mothers and children were randomly selected and grouped into three groups of cognitive-behavioral therapy, parent-child interaction therapy, and control group (n=25 each group). The treatment protocols were provided in two groups for eight sessions in two weeks, and control group was set in waiting list. The anxiety level of the children was evaluated in three stages of pre-test, post-test and follow-up by Spence Anxiety Scale (responding rate=91%), and data were analyzed using the chi-square, Independent Sample t-test and ANOVA with repeated measure. Results The results of the study showed that both types of treatment had a significant effect on the anxiety index compared to the control group (P<0.01). However, there was no significant difference in the efficiency of both treatments (P>0.65). Conclusion The findings of the study can be helpful in explaining the causes of the anxiety index in children and planning the preventive interventions.

No abstract

No abstract