Comparing the Effectiveness of Schema-Based Parenting Training with Compassion-Based Parenting Training on Mothers' Parenting Self-efficacy, Self-concept, and Parental Acceptance of Children with Internalizing Problems

Background: Children and adolescents constitute a major segment of the world's population, and their health is particularly important in any society. In recent years, attention has been paid to the issues and challenges faced by children under the title of morbid psychology of children, as one of the major topics in psychiatry and psychology. Objectives: The present study was conducted with the aim of comparing the effectiveness of schema-based parenting training with compassion-based parenting training on mothers' parenting self-efficacy, self-concept, and parental acceptance of children with internalizing problems. Methods: The current research was conducted as a semi-experimental pre-test-post-test and follow-up study. The statistical population included all primary school-aged children in Tehran and their mothers in 2020. Forty-five children with internalizing problems and their mothers, who referred to counseling centers in Tehran and met the entry criteria, were selected through available sampling. They were then randomly assigned to two experimental groups (15 people in each group) and one control group (15 people). The study utilized Achenbach's Child Behavior Inventory (1991), the Children's Self-Concept Scale (1969), Rohner's Parental Rejection-Acceptance Questionnaire (Mother's Form) (1996), and Dumka's Parental Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (2007) to collect data. Data were analyzed using repeated measures tests and SPSS-24 software. Results: The results showed that both parenting education approaches had an effect on improving parental self-efficacy, self-concept, and parental acceptance. However, there was no significant difference between the two treatment methods. Conclusions: Therefore, according to the findings of this research, it can be concluded that both the schema-based parenting method and the compassion-based parenting training method can be used to reduce the internalized problems of children.