The effects of a web-based interactive psycho-educational program and a traditional psycho-educational program based on cognitive-behavioral approach upon children's cognitive distortions and psychological symptoms

The purpose of the present study is to compare the effects of a web-based interactive psycho-educational program and a traditional psycho-educational program based on the cognitive-behavioral approach upon children's cognitive distortions and psychological symptoms. The study group of the research consisted of a total of 36 8th grade middle school students. Of the participants, 12 students participated in the web-based interactive psycho-educational program, 12 students participated in the traditional psycho-educational program, and 12 students were in the control group. Children's Negative Cognitive Distortions Questionnaire (CNCDQ), which was adapted into Turkish by Aydın (2006), and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) adapted for adolescents by Şahin, Batıgün and Uğurtaş (2002) were used as data collection tools. The students included in the web-based interactive psycho-educational program participated in an online program which covered 10 modules, one module for each week. The students in the traditional psycho-educational program participated in an 8-week program. The control group did not participate in any programs. 3X4 experimental design was used in the research. A post-test was administered one week after the research was completed, and follow-up measurements were done both one month and three months later. To examine the significance of the differences between groups, Kruskal Wallis H Tests were used. Furthermore, Friedman Tests were used to investigate significant differences between measurements within groups. The results of the research indicated that cognitive distortions of children who participated in the web-based interactive psycho-educational program and the traditional psycho-educational program decreased after the intervention, and that the decrease continued in the follow-up periods. Psychological symptoms decreased in the children who participated in the web-based interactive program, and this decrease lasted in follow-up periods. However, there was no change in psychological symptoms of the children who participated in the traditional psycho-educational program. The findings suggested that the web-based interactive psycho-educational program which was designed by the researcher was effective in terms of decreasing children's cognitive distortions and psychological symptoms. Key words: Web-Based, Interactive, Cognitive-Behavioral, Psycho-Education, Cognitive Distortions, Psychological Symptoms