Journal of Counseling Research

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The purpose of the present study was the prediction of general health based on the components of self-compassion (self-kindness, self-judgment, common humanity, isolation, mindfulness and over-identification) among students who have experienced love break up in Ahwaz universities. The present research method was correlation. The participants of the study were 190 girls who have experienced love break up over a year ago. The selection of sample population was purposive sampling. The instruments for data gathering include Goldberg General Health Questionnaire and Neff Self-Compassion Inventory. For the analysis of the data, discriminate analysis method was used. Results showed that linear combination of the variables of the study can predict general health among girls of universities of Ahwaz. With the usage of step by step method of discriminate analysis, it has been also identified that order of the most efficient variables in prediction of general health were 1- over-identification and 2- common humanity. Investigation of the variables separately showed that all variables including self-kindness, self-judgment, common humanity, isolation, mindfulness and over-identification were significant predictive for general health among girls of Ahwaz city.

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Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate The effectiveness of cognitive self-compassion on general health of woman headed households (somatization, anxiety, social dysfunction, depression) of Female Headed Households headed by Imam Khomeini Relief Committee. Method: The research method was semi-experimental with pretest-posttest design with control group. The statistical population of study included all the Female-headed households under coverage of the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee was formed in Rasht city in the second half 2015 year, That among them by using available, 30 female were selected and randomly assigned to the experimental group (15 individuals) and control group (15 individuals). The experimental group had received 8 sessions of Cognitive Self-Compassion Program. General Health questionnaire used to data gathering. Data were analyzed by multivariable co-variance test. Finding: Findings indicated that the research hypothesis of effect of Cognitive Self-Compassion Program on Mental Health (somatization, anxiety, social dysfunction, depression) of Female-headed households had been proven and Female-headed households of experimental group in comparison with control group, in posttest had a significantly less somatization, anxiety, social dysfunction, depression. Conclusion: So, we can conclude that Cognitive Self-Compassion Program has a significant effect on Mental Health of Female-headed households.

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Aim: The aim of this research was to investigate the mediating role of self-compassion in relation between cognitive schemas of parents and happiness of children in students of first period of high school in Tehran. Methods: This research was a correlational study. In order to gather the data, three questionnaires, including  Oxford Happiness Inventory (Hill and Argyle, 2002), Young Schema Questionnaire (Young, 1990) and Self-Compassion Scale (Neff, 2003) were used. Statistical population included middle school students and their mothers in Tehran. From among this population, 384 individuals were selected through random cluster sampling. Data was analyzed through analysis of structural equations. Findings : data Obtained indicated that parents’ cognitive schemas have direct influence on children’s happiness. Among the 15 parents’ maladjustment schemas,   the incompetency incompetency, mistrust, social isolation, unrelenting standards, insufficient self-control, and defectiveness had significant effect on children’s happiness. Moreover, the mediating role of self-compassion and happiness in children was significantly influenced by mistrust, social isolation, unrelenting standards, and insufficient self- control schemas. Conclusion: Parents whose life experiences have shaped maladaptive schemas in their life have negative effects on their children’s positive emotion, and decrease the happiness of their children through their wrong behaviors.

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Aim: The present study was conducted with the aim of comparing the coping strategies and levels of psychological adjustment in depressed and non-depressed women experiencing intrauterine fetal death (IUFD). Methods: This was a causal-comparative study. The research population includes all the depressed and non-depressed women experiencing intra-uterine fetal death who had active case file in specialized infertility clinics of district 5 of Tehran in 2017. Thirty depressed women experiencing intra-uterine fetal death and 30 non-depressed women experiencing intra-uterine fetal death (total 60 subjects) were selected through available sampling. For gathering the data, coping inventory for stressful situations (CISS), Veit and Ware’s mental health inventory, and Beck’s depression inventory were used. The data were analysed by statistical methods of multivariate analysis of variance. Findings: Results suggested that there is a significant difference in problem-focused coping strategies and emotionally-focused coping strategies in depressed and non-depressed women (P<0.01), but no significant difference was observed in avoidance coping strategies among depressed and non-depressed women (P=0.79). Also, results indicated that psychological helplessness is significantly lower in non-depressed women compared to depressed women and non-depressed women enjoy higher psychological well-being (P<0.001). Conclusion: The present study showed that coping strategies and psychological adjustment are variables that can affect the depression of women experiencing intrauterine fetal death. Therefore, these variables should be considered in order to treat the depression of these individuals.

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The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of group therapy based on Acceptance and Commitment  with integrating Acceptance and Commitment therapy and compassion Focus Therapy on the psychological well-being of divorced women.The research method  was quasi-experimental based on a pre-test, post-test design and follow-up with control group. The statistical population were divorced women who were referred to Ameneh Family Counselling Center in Tehran, during of 2016-2017 years. The sample included 32 divorced women who were selected by available and purposive sampling method in three group (2 experimental groups and 1 control group) including12 persons in each group. The first experimental group was received 10 sessions of ACT techniques and second experimental group was received 10 sessions of CFACT techniques (weekly 120 minutes’ sessions), but the control group did not receive any intervention. The research instrument was Reyf’s Psychological well-being Scale (RSPWB). Data were analyzed by using analysis of variance with repeated measures. The results indicated that both Acceptance and Commitment therapy and integration  of ACT with CFT on psychological well-being of divorced women were significantly effective. Also efficacy of CFACT on increasing of psychological well-being divorced women was better than ACT. Regarding the findings, the use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy And integration of ACT with CFT  is an effective treatment for  promoting of psychological well-being of divorced women.
Keywords: Acceptance and commitment therapy, Compassion focus therapy, Psychological well-being, Divorced women

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Aim: Compassion-focused therapy (CFT) is developed for clients who experience high levels of shame and self-criticism. CFT emphasizes the centrality of our affiliative system in reducing threat-based processing by allowing us to feel cared for and able to offer care to both ourselves and others. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effectiveness of CFT on shame and feeling of guilt among women with sexual abuse experience in childhood. Methods: The statistical population consisted of all women with Sexual Abuse experience in Childhood who had referred to counseling centers in Ahvaz. The research sample consisted of 3 women referred to counseling centers that were selected according to the results of the PTSD Checklist (Weathers, 1993) with cutoff point of 50 and with purposeful sampling method. In this research, a single-case experimental design, type of non-concurrent multiple baseline designs was used. To evaluate the shame and feeling of guilt, the state shame and guilt scale (SSGS) were used. The protocol of CFT was carried out in three phases of basic lines, intervention of 8 weekly sessions, and two months follow-up. Findings: The findings indicated that the subjects in the shame treatment phase experienced 31.20% improvement and in the guilt phase experienced  28.68% improvement. The effectiveness was maintained during the 2-month follow-up. The change index was indicative of meaningful changes. Conclusion: Therefore, the research findings illustrated that CFT is effective in decreasing of shame and feeling of guilt of women with sexual abuse experience in childhood, through decreasing reducing threat-based processing and strengthening the soothing system through the cultivation of compassion.

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Aim: The purpose of this research was to determine the effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy on distress tolerance and feeling of guilt in mothers of children with physical-motor disability. Methods: The quasi-experimental research method included pre-test and post-test, with control group. The statistical population of this study consisted of all mothers of children with physical disability who had received education in special schools in city of Saqez during the Persian year of 1398. For this purpose, 24 mothers of physically disabled children were selected from the exceptional schools by convenient sampling method and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (12 in each group). The experimental group received 10 sessions of intervention and no training was given to the control group. The instruments used in this study were the Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS) and the Test of Self-Conscious Affect (TOSCA-2), which were completed in the pre-test and post-test phases. Data were analyzed using covariance analysis. Findings: The findings of this study indicated that there was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in pre-test and post-test in scores of distress tolerance and feeling of guilt. According to these findings, compassion-focused therapy is effective in decreasing feeling of guilt and increasing distress tolerance of mothers of children with physical disability. Conclusion: The results showed that self-compassion, through providing positive experiences, increasing adaptation to stressful situations, and expressing empathy and sympathy can increase distress tolerance in individuals and reduce the level of guilt of mothers with children with disabilities.

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Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of three approaches of self-compassion treatment, compassion based on religious teachings, and treatment based on acceptance and commitment to reduce depression in married women. Methods: The present study was performed through quasi-experimental method of pre-test and post-test using three experimental groups and one control group. The statistical population of the study was all women referred to counseling centers in Yazd in the year 2020 who were diagnosed with depression. The sample size was 40 people who were selected through available sampling method and randomly assigned to three experimental groups and one control group. In order to measure the happiness and quality of life in the sample, Life satisfaction Scale of Diner et al. (1985), and the Oxford Happiness Scale of Argyle and Lou (1989) were used. In order to analyze the research data, the analysis of covariance was used. Results: The analysis of the findings showed that all three treatments were effective in improving happiness (F=33.25 and effect size, 0.792) and quality of life (F= 89.38 and effect size, 0.911) in women (P<0/01). Also, the results of pairwise comparison of the groups showed that the treatments used in increasing happiness were not significantly different from each other, but compassion treatment based on religious teachings was more effective in improving women's quality of life than the other two treatments (P<0.01). All three methods are effective in increasing happiness and improving the quality of life of depressed married women.

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The present research aimed at investigating the relationship between upbringing methods and children's happiness with the mediating role of parents' self-compassion among junior high school students in Tehran in the school year of 2018-2019. The study employed descriptive-correlational methodology. The population included junior high-school students with their mothers living in Tehran. 384 students along with their mothers were selected through multistage clustering method. Three questionnaires were used in this study: Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, Baumrind's Parenting Style questionnaire, and Neff's Self-compassion questionnaire.
The collected data was analyzed through Path Analysis and Lisrel. The results showed that the mediating role of parenting style was not significant with respect to the relationship between self-compassion and children's happiness (p>0/05). However, the direct effects of three variables, self-compassion, dictatorial parenting, and strict parenting were found to be meaningful (p<0/05).
The direction effect of dictatorial style on happiness was negative. The direction effect of self-compassion and strict style on happiness was positive. The aforementioned variables predict 49% of the score variance in happiness.
 

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Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of solution-focused approach and compassion-focused therapy on emotional cognitive regulation and post-traumatic stress disorder in female-headed households. Methods: The research method was quasi-experimental having pre-test and post-test with a control group. The statistical population included female-headed households who referred to the Welfare Center of Tehran province in 2021. Thirty-six female-headed households were selected through simple random sampling and randomly assigned to three groups of 12 (two experimental groups and one control group). The research instruments were Mississippi (2006) Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Scale and Garnfsky, Grich & Spinhaven (2002) Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Participants in the experimental group received Grant’s (2011) Solution-focused counseling sessions and Gilbert’s (2010) Compassionate Therapy sessions, both for 8 sessions. In addition to descriptive statistics, analysis of covariance and Benferoni pair comparison were used to analyze the data.
Findings: The results of data analysis showed that the differences between the three groups in the variables of adaptive emotion regulation (F=30.61, P <0.001), uncompromising emotion regulation (F=22.73, P<0.001) and post-traumatic stress disorder (F=37.45, P <0.001), is significant. There is no significant difference between solution-focused therapy and compassion-focused therapy on the regulation of compromised emotion and post-traumatic stress disorder, but there is a significant difference in the non-compromised variable. Conclusion: The findings of this study shows that solution-focused therapy and compassion-focused therapy were both effective in improving cognitive emotion regulation and stress disorder (PTSD), and of the two approaches can be used to reduce emotional regulation and post-traumatic stress disorder in female-headed Households.

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 Aim: Due to the lack of proper training, female-headed households are suddenly faced with a lot of responsibilities without prior training, as a result of which they suffer stressful conditions and psychological pressure, and finally, the self-efficacy of these females is affected. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based compassion therapy and positive cognitive-behavioral therapy on female-headed households' self-efficacy. Methods: The design of this research was quasi-experimental with pre-test, post-test and three-month follow-up with a control group. The statistical population of research included female-headed households in Shahrekord in the year 2022. In this research, 60 women whose self-efficacy questionnaire score were between 17 and 34 were selected through purposive sampling and were randomly assigned to 2 experimental groups and one control group (20 persons in each group). Then, the experimental groups were treated with eight 120-minute mindfulness-based compassion therapy and positive cognitive-behavioral therapy. The data were collected from the GSE-17 self-efficacy questionnaire, and finally, were analyzed through repeated measure analysis of variance. Findings: The findings showed that in the two stages of post-test and follow-up, the average score of self-efficacy in the two experimental groups was significantly different from the control group. Also, the results of the findings indicated the greater effectiveness of positive cognitive-behavioral therapy. Conclusion: Based on the results of this research, it is suggested to use positive cognitive-behavioral therapy along with other treatment methods to increase the self-efficacy of female-headed households.

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Abstract
Purpose: The present study was conducted with the aim of comparing the effectiveness of mindfulness therapy based on compassion and mentalization therapy on the resilience of mothers with children with a teachable intellectual disability. Method: This research was conducted using a semi-experimental method and using a pre-test, post-test and follow-up plan with a control group. The statistical population included mothers with children with educational intellectual disabilities in Farsan city in the second half of 1402, 45 of them were selected by available sampling and randomly assigned to 3 groups (15 people in each group). Then the experimental group (1) received 8 sessions of 90-minute mindfulness therapy based on compassion and the experimental group (2) also received 8 sessions of 90-minute mentalization therapy. The measuring tool of the research was resilience questionnaire (Connor and Davidson, 2003) and short clinical interview. Findings: The research data were analyzed using variance analysis with repeated measurements on one factor (mixed design). The results showed that the two intervention methods had a lasting effect on increasing the mean of resilience and its subscales (P<0.01), while it was found that there is no significant difference between the effectiveness of mindfulness intervention based on compassion and mentalization therapy on resilience and its subscales. (P < 0.05). Conclusion: According to the results obtained from the research, it was concluded that by using both methods of treatment, the resilience of mothers with children with a teachable intellectual disability can be increased.