Volume 6, Issue 3 (Vol6,No3(21) 2025)
2025, 6(3): 376-387 |
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Ethics code: IR.USWR.REC.1402.223
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Nourian Z, Momeni F, Dolatshahee B. (2025). Impact of an Exposure-based Intervention on Self-efficacy in Coping With Nighttime Fears in Iranian Children Aged 4-8 Years: A Clinical Trial. Journal of Childhood Health and Education. 6(3), 376-387. doi:10.32598/JECHE.6.3.339.1
URL: http://jeche.ir/article-1-314-en.html
URL: http://jeche.ir/article-1-314-en.html
1- Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract: (850 Views)
Background and Aim Nighttime fears are very common in children, but most children outgrow them as they get older. However, in some children, these fears become more severe and continue into adolescence. The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of an exposure-based intervention on the self-efficacy of 4-8-year-old Iranian children in coping with their nighttime fears.
Research Methods This is a clinical trial with a multiple baseline single-case experimental design. Participants were 6 children with nighttime fears aged 4-8 years (4 boys and 2 girls) living in Tehran, Iran, who were selected using a purposive sampling method. After baseline assessment (9, 12, 15 days), the children received an exposure-based intervention for 8 weeks. Their parents were asked to read book “Uncle Light: Turn the Light On and Off ” and play games with their child. Coffman’s What My Child Can Do at Night in the Dark (WICDAN) and a sleep report form were used to collect data. They were assessed before, immediately after, and one-month after the intervention. In order to analyze the data, the visual analysis method and calculation of the percentage of recovery and effect size (Cohen’s d) were used.
Results The mean total scores of children increased from 7.95 at baseline to 16.37 post-intervention period and 18.33 in the follow-up phase. The total effect size was 4.62. The total percentage of recovery was 56.75% from baseline to post-test, and 56.75% from baseline to follow-up.
Conclusion The exposure-based intervention can increase the self-efficacy in coping with nighttime fears in Iranian children. It can help them sleep alone in their dark room for more nights.
Research Methods This is a clinical trial with a multiple baseline single-case experimental design. Participants were 6 children with nighttime fears aged 4-8 years (4 boys and 2 girls) living in Tehran, Iran, who were selected using a purposive sampling method. After baseline assessment (9, 12, 15 days), the children received an exposure-based intervention for 8 weeks. Their parents were asked to read book “Uncle Light: Turn the Light On and Off ” and play games with their child. Coffman’s What My Child Can Do at Night in the Dark (WICDAN) and a sleep report form were used to collect data. They were assessed before, immediately after, and one-month after the intervention. In order to analyze the data, the visual analysis method and calculation of the percentage of recovery and effect size (Cohen’s d) were used.
Results The mean total scores of children increased from 7.95 at baseline to 16.37 post-intervention period and 18.33 in the follow-up phase. The total effect size was 4.62. The total percentage of recovery was 56.75% from baseline to post-test, and 56.75% from baseline to follow-up.
Conclusion The exposure-based intervention can increase the self-efficacy in coping with nighttime fears in Iranian children. It can help them sleep alone in their dark room for more nights.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
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Received: 2025/01/17 | Accepted: 2025/10/7 | Published: 2025/12/16
Received: 2025/01/17 | Accepted: 2025/10/7 | Published: 2025/12/16
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