Construction and Preliminary Application of Mindfulness-based Emotional Regulation Intervention Scheme for Adolescents With Anxiety Disorder and Caregivers

Purpose：Aiming to improve the emotional regulation abilities of adolescents with AD and caregivers, reduce anxiety levels, and play an important role in promoting the recovery of adolescents with AD and the mental and physical health of parents. Methods：This study is divided into two parts. In Part One, a mindfulness-based emotional regulation intervention program for adolescents with anxiety disorders and their caregivers was developed. Drawing on family systems theory, the mindfulness coping model, and Gross's emotion regulation process model, a systematic literature review was conducted to extract the main contents of the intervention program. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 pairs of adolescents with AD and their caregivers to identify emotional regulation issues and intervention needs, forming a preliminary draft of the mindfulness-based emotional regulation intervention program for adolescents with anxiety disorders and their caregivers. Fifteen experts were invited to participate in Delphi consultations, and based on pre-experimental feedback, the intervention program was further refined to produce a pilot intervention protocol. In Part Two, the feasibility and effectiveness of the mindfulness-based emotional regulation intervention for adolescents with anxiety disorders and their caregivers were preliminarily assessed. Using a randomized controlled trial design, 78 pairs of adolescents with AD and their caregivers who met the inclusion criteria were selected from the Children and Adolescent Psychological Unit at the Third Hospital of Daqing City, Heilongjiang Province. They were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n=39 pairs) receiving a 6-week mindfulness-based emotional regulation intervention or the control group (n=39 pairs) receiving routine hospital care. During the intervention period, 4 adolescents with AD and 5 caregivers withdrew from the intervention group, while 2 adolescents with AD and 3 caregivers withdrew fr