Effect of acceptance and commitment therapy combined with compassion-focused therapy on behavioral problems and mother-child interactions in children with hearing impairment

Background and Aim: Hearing loss is and invi­sible disability that adversely affects the quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the effect of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) combined with compassion-focused therapy (CFT) on behavioral problems and mother-child interactions in children with hearing impairment. Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study with pretest/posttest design using a control gro­up. The study population consists of all mothers of children with hearing impairment in Yazd, Iran. A total of 30 mothers were selected using a purposive sampling method, and randomly assi­gned into control (n = 15) and intervention (n = 15) groups. The intervention group received ACT combined with CFT at eight sessions of 90 minutes, one session per week, while the control did not receive any treatment. Data collections tool were the Parent-Child Relationship Scale and the Child Behavior Checklist. Data were ana­lyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The intervention had a significant effect on mother-child interaction and behavioral prob­lems in children with hearing impairment. Conclusion: ACT combined with CFT can be used for intervention of mothers of children with hearing loss to reduce the behavioral problems of their children and improve their interactions with them. Keywords: Acceptance and commitment therapy; compassion focused therapy; behavioral problems; parent-child interaction; children with hearing impairment