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Vol. 11 No. 1 (2026)
Special Issue: Faith-Informed Mental Wellbeing and Resilience

Articles

Group-Based Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy for Emotional and Behavioral Problems Among Pakistani Muslim Adolescents: A Pilot Study

https://doi.org/10.55831/ajis.v11i1.1199

Published 24.08.2026

  • Sheeza Sarfaraz
    • ,
  • Tahira Yousaf
Sheeza Sarfaraz
Bahria University Islamabad

Tahira Yousaf
Bahria University

Abstract

Muslim teenagers are increasingly experiencing emotional and behavioural problems (EBPs), which frequently go undiagnosed and may contribute to subsequent mental health issues. This pilot study was conducted with Pakistani Muslim adolescents in an urban school in Karachi. This study examined the efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy (CBPT) in reducing EBPs among Pakistani Muslim early and middle adolescents. Thirty-two students were screened; eight withdrew, resulting in a final sample of 24 participants aged 11–17. Equal numbers of participants from the early and middle teenage years (11–14 and 15–17 years, respectively) were distributed to the experimental and control groups. A demographic form and the School Children’s Problems Scale (SCPS) were used to collect data. The intervention consisted of 10 weekly CBPT sessions lasting 70–80 minutes each. Results indicated significantly lower overall EBPs scores in the early and middle adolescent experimental groups compared to the control groups (p < 0.001), with very large effect sizes (d = −4.4 and −4.73, respectively); given the small sample size and pilot nature of the study, these effect sizes should be interpreted with caution. Significant pretest to post-test reductions in SCPS scores were also observed in both experimental groups (p < 0.001). These preliminary findings suggest that group-based CBPT may be a promising school-based intervention for reducing adolescents’ emotional and behavioural difficulties and improving access to mental health support. However, larger studies are needed to confirm these findings and examine the long-term effects of CBPT.

Keywords

Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy interventions, emotional and behavioural problems, Muslim adolescents, school-based intervention

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