Comparing the Effectivness of Psychodrama Training and Parental Behavior Management Skills Training on Social Adjustment in Preschool Children

This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of psychodrama training and parental behavior management skills training in the social adjustment of preschool children. The research method was experimental with a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population included all preschool students in District 9 of Tehran in 2019. Schools were selected by cluster random sampling and 45 students were randomly assigned to them in two experimental groups and one control group (15 students in each group). Children's psychodrama training was held in 10 sessions of 45 minutes and parental behavior management skills training was held in 6 sessions of 90 minutes. The data collection tool was Dokhanchi's (CSAS, 1998) Social Adjustment Questionnaire. Data analysis using the analysis of covariance. The results of the analysis of covariance showed that psychodrama training is effective in the social adjustment of preschool children (P = 0.001). In addition, parental behavior management skills training was also effective in social adjustment (P = 0.001). The results of the Bonferroni post hoc test showed that parental behavior management skills training is more effective than psychodrama training in improving the social adjustment of preschool children (P = 0.001). In order to improve the social adaptation of preschool children, it will be beneficial to use psychological role-playing training and parenting behavior management skills training with the priority of parenting behavior management skills training.