Department of Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Tabriz University, Tabriz, Iran , m-alilou@tabrizu.ac.ir
Abstract: (207 Views)
Introduction: Studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of emotion-focused group therapy (EFGT) on psychopathology in vulnerable groups. However, it remains unclear whether this intervention is effective for self-harming students. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of EFGT on emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, and tendency to risky behaviors in self-harming female students. Method: This quasi-experimental study utilized a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design with a control group. The statistical population comprised all female secondary school students in Bukan city during the academic year 2023. A sample of 45 students was selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria and randomly assigned to experimental, placebo, and control groups (15 students each). Participants completed the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, Self-Harm Inventory, and Iranian Adolescents Risk-taking Scalebefore and after the group therapy and in the follow-up phase. The emotion-focused treatment protocol developed by Watson and Greenberg (2006) was administered over 8 sessions lasting 90 minutes each, conducted over a period of 2 months for the experimental group. Data were analyzed by mixed ANOVA using SPSS-25 software. Results: The findings indicated that EFGT significantly reduced emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, tendency to risky behaviors, and self-harm tendencies in the experimental group compared to the placebo and control groups (p<0.01). These effects were sustained during the follow-up phase (p<0.01). Conclusion: The results of the present study provided appropriate experimental support for the effect of EFGT in reducing emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, tendency to risky behaviors and self-harm tendencies in at-risk students. Therefore, clinical experts and psychotherapists can use this intervention to effectively treat emotional dysregulation, risky behaviors and self-harm tendencies in students.
Mahmoudi A, Mahmoud Alilou M, Esmaeilpour K, Hashemi Nosratabadi T. The effect of emotion-focused group therapy (EFGT) on emotional dysregulation, impulsivity and tendency to risky behaviors in self-harming female students. IJPN 2024; 12 (3) :102-114 URL: http://ijpn.ir/article-1-2404-en.html