Analysis of the improvement in the psychological state of children with autism after special preschool education intervention

Abstract Background Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit significant differences in social skills, emotional regulation, and behavioral adaptation. Statistics show that approximately 1% of children are affected by ASD, with 60% experiencing anxiety symptoms, 40% having depression or mood regulation disorders, and over 50% experiencing functional limitations in daily social interactions. Identifying behavioral indicators that can predict early improvement or deterioration of mental state is crucial for optimizing preschool intervention programs. Specialized preschool intervention, as a proactive intervention combining cognitive, social, and sensory training, can improve emotional management and social adaptation through behavioral practice, emotion regulation training, and group activities. Therefore, this study analyzes the improvement in the mental state of children with autism through psychological scale assessments and evaluates its actual effects on anxiety, depression, and emotion regulation abilities, providing empirical evidence for early non-pharmacological intervention. Methods This study included 120 children aged 3 ~ 6 years who met the clinical criteria for ASD. Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 60) and a control group (n = 60). The intervention group received a 12-week special preschool education intervention, 5 times a week for 60 minutes each time, covering social skills training, emotion regulation training, and sensory integration activities. The control group received only routine daily care and play activities. Psychological status was assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Emotion Regulation Checklist (ERC) at pre-intervention (T0), during intervention (week 6, T1), and post-intervention (week 12, T2). Statistical analysis was performed using repeated measures ANOVA, with a significance level set at p.05. Cohen’s effect size was also calculated to assess the magnitude of the intervention effect. Results In the intervention group, the total CBCL score decreased from 68.4 ± 5.2 in stage T0 to 54.1 ± 4.8 in stage T2 (p.001, d = 2.80), with significant improvements in anxiety/depression, social problems, and attention problems (p.01). The total ERC score in the intervention group increased from 29.5 ± 3.1 in stage T0 to 39.7 ± 3.4 in stage T2 (p.001, d = 3.30), with increased positive emotional responses and decreased negative emotional responses. In contrast, the CBCL and ERC scores in the control group did not change significantly between T0 and T2 (p.05). Repeated measures ANOVA further confirmed a significant interaction between intervention time and group (F = 18.72 for CBCL, p.001; F = 22.45 for ERC, p.001). Discussion After 12 weeks of special preschool education intervention, children with autism showed significant improvements in both their psychological state and emotion regulation abilities. The intervention group exhibited decreased scores across all areas and improved emotion regulation abilities, with the magnitude of improvement being greater than that in the control group. These results indicate that a systematic and structured special preschool education intervention can effectively improve the mental health of children with ASD, providing quantifiable evidence for early clinical intervention. Future research could further explore the duration of intervention, the combination of intervention content, and the long-term follow-up effects on psychological state to optimize intervention strategies and support the design of individualized educational programs.