Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Parent Training Protocol Based on an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Happiness and Mental Adjustment among Mothers with Slow Paced Children

Background: The birth of a mentally retarded child can have a profound impact on the entire family; parents face many logistical and emotional difficulties that can impact their happiness and mental adjustment. We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the parent training protocol based on an acceptance and commitment therapy on happiness and mental adjustment among mothers with slow paced children. Methods: The population of this quasi-experimental included all the mothers with slow-paced children in Tehran, Iran, from 2020. Samples of the study were selected using purposive sampling and randomly divided into an experimental group (Parent training protocol) (n=15), and a control group (n=15). Each of the experimental participants was trained for ten 90-minute sessions, while no therapy was provided to the control group. The subjects were assessed before and after treatment using the Persian Version of the Mini-MAC and Oxford happiness questionnaire (OHQ). The data was analyzed Using version 18.0. Results: The total sample was 30 mothers with slow-paced children, among whom the highest frequency was for the age group of 37-45 years with the mean age of 43.3. The results showed that the acceptance and commitment therapy had significant effects on happiness (F= 83.4; P=0.04) and mental adjustment (F = 80.9; P=0.06) of the mothers with slow-paced children. Conclusion: Parent training protocol based on an acceptance and commitment therapy increased the happiness of mothers with slow-paced children and improved their mental adjustment.