Comparison of the Effectiveness of Pharmacotherapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, and Emotion-Focused Therapy on Emotion Regulation and Hope for Life in Hospitalized Children with Cancer

Amirhoushang Kianpoor

Authors

Amirhoushang Kianpoor MA student, Department of Clinical Psychology, Isl.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran. Iran. Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3063-8561

Keywords:

cognitive-behavioral therapy, emotion-focused therapy, pharmacotherapy, emotion regulation, hope for life, cancer

Abstract

Purpose: The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of pharmacotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and emotion-focused therapy (EFT) on emotion regulation and hope for life in hospitalized children with cancer at Imam Reza Hospital.

Methods and Materials: This quasi-experimental study was conducted using a pretest–posttest design with a control group. The study population consisted of all hospitalized children with cancer in the pediatric ward of Imam Reza Hospital in 2025. Convenience sampling was used to select 40 children aged 8 to 12 years, who were then randomly assigned to four groups of 10 participants each (pharmacotherapy, CBT, EFT, and control). Data collection instruments included the Gross and John Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) and Snyder’s Children’s Hope Scale (CHS). Data analysis was performed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) with SPSS-26 software.

Findings: The findings indicated that all three interventions led to a significant improvement in emotion regulation and an increase in hope for life compared to the control group (p < .05). Among the interventions, psychological therapies (CBT and EFT) were more effective than pharmacotherapy, and there was no significant difference between CBT and EFT.

Conclusion: The results suggest that psychological interventions, particularly CBT and EFT, play an important role in enhancing emotion regulation and increasing hope for life in children with cancer. Therefore, incorporating these approaches alongside pharmacological treatment and medical care is recommended in pediatric oncology departments.

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