Effectiveness of cognitive therapy on improving resilience of Hong Kong primary school children

Abstract

This study was to test the effect of cognitive therapy in boosting children’s resilience. Pretest-posttest control group design was adopted. Fifty-eight Primary Three students were randomly assigned to either treatment or control condition. Cognitive therapy was delivered in four one-hour group training sessions and was designed to improve the participants’ explanatory style. Findings showed that children in the treatment group had significantly higher resilience level than those in the control group, and the treatment effect on the level of resilience was mediated by the more optimistic explanatory style for negative events. In view of the positive results, school personnel is encouraged to consider using the intervention as stipulated in the study to promote resilience in junior primary school students.