Social Psychology Research

Abstract Introduction: Children with complex trauma frequently exhibit high levels of perceived stress and anger, which significantly impair their psychological and social functioning. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of computer-based exposure narrative therapy in reducing these symptoms.
Methods: A quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group was employed. The population consisted of all 9- to 10-year-old children with complex trauma referred by the Ardabil Welfare Organization in 2024. Using convenience sampling, 30 children were selected and randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n=15) or a control group (n=15). The experimental group received ten 45-minute sessions of computer-based exposure narrative therapy, while the control group received no intervention. Measures included the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (Bernstein et al., 2003), the Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen et al., 1983), and the State–Trait Anger Expression Inventory (Spielberger et al., 1999). Data were analyzed using Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) in SPSS-26.
Results: The results demonstrated that computer-based exposure narrative therapy significantly reduced levels of perceived stress (p < 0.05) and anger (p < 0.05) in the experimental group compared to the control group.
Conclusion: These findings indicate that computer-based exposure narrative therapy is an effective intervention for reducing perceived stress and anger in children with complex trauma. This approach shows promise for improving social relationships, reducing negative thoughts, and enhancing emotional and behavioral regulation in this population.