Investigation of the effect of cognitive behavioral therapy-based individual counseling on children's depression levels, negative beliefs and self- perceptions

The general purpose of the study is to examine the effects of individual counseling based on cognitive behavioral therapy on children's depression levels, negative thoughts, and self-perceptions. For this general purpose, mixed research method, in which quantitative and qualitative research methods are used together, was used. Fifteen children who scored above the cut-off point from the Child Depression Inventory and met the inclusion/exclusion criteria were selected as the study group. Fifteen children who scored above the cut-off point from the Child Depression Inventory and met the inclusion/exclusion criteria were selected from the fifth grade students in the study group. A pre-test, post-test and follow-up research was conducted with children who were assigned to experimental, placebo, and control groups with unbiased assignment. The application was carried out with five children in the experimental group, where each session lasted for 45 minutes on average, with a frequency of once a week, for a total of 10 weeks. The last ten minutes of the sessions were attended by the parents. While conducting individual interviews with children to reduce their depression levels based on cognitive behavioral therapy, and to reduce their negative self-perception and thinking levels; Interviews were held with parents to inform them about the process, to support the child outside the session, and to follow up. Non-intervention interviews were conducted with five students in the placebo group. No studies were conducted with the five children in the control group. Child Depression Inventory, Piers-Harris Child Self-Concept Scale and Childhood Negative Thoughts Assessment Scale were used as quantitative data in the study. Data were taken as pre-test, post-test, and follow-up measure four months later. For the qualitative research method, the contents of the interviews with the children and the answers given to the semi-structured interview questions prepared by the researcher after the application were used. As a result of the research, it was seen that the application had a significant effect on reducing the depression levels of children when compared with the placebo and control groups. In addition, it was concluded that the application reduced the level of negative self-perception and thought levels of children. When the interview contents of the children and the feedback received from the parents were examined, it was seen that the application had a positive effect on the children.