Abstract
Maternal anxiety frequently compromises the quality of mother-child interactions, leading to heightened parental stress, intrusive behaviors, and diminished dyadic emotional availability. This comparative randomized study investigated the efficacy of an eight-week Play Therapy-Supported Parent Training (PT-PT) program compared to a Standard Parent Training (S-PT) program and a waitlist control group on mother-child interaction quality and maternal anxiety levels. The sample comprised 78 mothers diagnosed with mild-to-moderate anxiety and their children aged 3 to 6 years. Dyadic interactions were assessed at pre-test, post-test, and an 8-week follow-up using the Emotional Availability Scales (EAS) alongside maternal self-report measures for anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) and parenting stress (Parenting Stress Index-Short Form). Mothers in the PT-PT condition demonstrated statistically significant improvements in maternal sensitivity, structuring, and non-intrusiveness, as well as significant reductions in state anxiety and parental distress compared to both the S-PT and control groups. These gains were maintained at the 8-week follow-up. The findings suggest that integrating filial and child-centered play therapy techniques into maternal education uniquely equips anxious mothers to regulate their affective responses, foster secure attachment behaviors, and establish a responsive relational environment.
