The Effect of Group Emotional Intelligence Training on Emotional Intelligence Strengthening in Adolescents with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Considering the results of many studies which indicate that emotional intelligence has a greater impact on individual`s success, life and education , and because of the problems and incompatibilities of adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, the need to pay more attention to this as well as high prevalence of this disease among the adolescents and shortage of the studies carried out in this field in Iran; this study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of emotional intelligence group training on enhancing emotional intelligence in adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder referred to specialty and superspeciality psychiatric centers of Tabriz . Materials and Methods:This research is a clinical trial study that was carried out on 76 adolescents aged 7-11 years with ADHDby method of available sampling and pre-test and post-test design and following up with control group from all child and adolescent psychiatric super speciality clinics of Tabriz which included children and adolescents department of Razi treatment-educational center of Tabriz, and Bozorgmehr psychiatric clinic of Tabriz. After getting a pre-test and by observing the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the samples were randomly allocated to two groups of intervention and control by using of random block method with volume 4.The statistical software of SPSSver22 and inferential statistics including statistical tests of Chi-square and independent T –test , covariance test and K-S test were used to analyze data. Findings: The results of study showed that in adolescents with ADHD , the amount of emotional intelligence and it`s components don`t have significant statistical difference in the intervention and control group before intervention(p>0.05), but after intervention, the difference was significant in the intervention group compared to the control group. That isto say, the group therapy in the intervention group had positive effect compared to the control group(p<0.0001). According to the present study, also in these adolescents the mean score of hyperactivity in the intervention and control groups didn`t have significant statistical differencebefore intervention(p>0.05) but there was a significant statistical relationship between the severity of symptoms of hyperactivity and emotional intelligence after intervention, so that the emotional intelligence of an individual is at a favorable level, the severity of the symptoms of ADHD will be reduced.(p<0.0001) Discussion and conclusion: Since the adolescence period is considered as one of the high-pressure growth periods in which the child`s intellectual and emotional axes gets involved in the change and is prepared to enter to the other stage of the life , it is necessary to pay attention to motivational, emotional and cognitive dimensions of this period. We can identify the adolescent`s self-awareness and needs through enhancing emotional intelligence and help them in identifying the aims and ways to reach them through the training. When this self-awareness takes place , they can take steps towards the empathy and identification of the emotions and feelings of therapists and we can take steps effectively in order to solve our problems and therapist`s problems.