The impact of a cognitive-behavioral group therapy and executive function training on emotion regulation in children experiencing emotional distress post-COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the mental health of young individuals globally, leading to increased emotional dysregulation due to various cumulative stressors. This study assesses a therapeutic approach that combines group-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with executive function (EF) training in 36 children (55% female, M = 11.2 ± 1.8 years; 45% male, M = 10.4 ± 1.6 years) experiencing emotional distress in the post-pandemic context of returning to in-person classes. We evaluate executive functions, including working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility, as well as emotional responses (self-reported) and psychophysiological changes measured by heart rate variability (HRV). Post-intervention, children exhibit improvements in working memory, inhibition, cognitive flexibility, emotional regulation (cognitive reappraisal), and parasympathetic activity. Executive functioning domains, such as working memory and flexibility, significantly predict enhancements in emotional responses. The findings indicate that integrating CBT and EF training can effectively improve cognitive and emotional regulation in children experiencing post-pandemic distress. This suggests the feasibility and preliminary potential of integrating executive function training with CBT to enhance and foster emotional regulation. However, further research is needed to confirm its effectiveness in larger samples.