International Journal of Psychology (IPA)

Effectiveness of Compassion Focused Therapy on Self-Regulation, Anger Management, and Social Well-Being of Recovered Addicts Women

Marzie Hashemi

This study examines the effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy on self-regulation, anger management, and social well-being among recovered addicts. Utilizing a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test, post-test control group format, the research involved all women recovering from addiction who attended Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings in Boumehen. Sixteen participants were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to experimental (n=8) and control (n=8) groups. Initially, both groups completed a pre-test. The experimental group then receivedeight 90-minute sessions of compassion-focused therapy, while the control group received no intervention. Post-tests were administered to both groups at the conclusion of the study. The instruments used included the Social Well-Being Scale (Keyes, 1998), the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (Spielberger, 1998), and the Self-Regulation Questionnaire (Miller & Brown, 1999 Data were analyzed using Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) followed by univariate ANCOVAs to control for baseline scores. Multivariate analysis of covariance revealed a significant overall effect of the intervention on the combined dependent variables, with all multivariate test statistics converging on the same conclusion (e.g., Wilks’ Λ = .19, F(3, 9) = 12.45, p = .001). Follow-up univariate ANCOVAs indicated that, after controlling for pre-test scores, the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher levels of self-regulation and social well-being compared with the control group (p < .01). In addition, compassion-focused therapy led to a significant improvement in anger management (p < .01), whereas no significant changes were observed in the control group Based on these results, it is suggestive that compassion-focused therapy works for enhancing self-regulation, anger management, and social well-being among recovered addicts.

Comparing the Effectiveness of Self-hypnosis and Future Perspective Training on Academic Determination in Students with Learned Helplessness

Seyedeh Olia Emadian

Given the effective role of psychological strategies in enhancing academic performance, it is of particular importance to explore new methods. This study compares the effectiveness of these two methods on academic determination in students with learned helplessness. The research method was semi-experimental with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design with a control group. The research population consisted of all female students of the first high school of Qaemshahr who were studying in the academic year 2023-2024. Of these, 45 people were selected through purposive sampling and randomly divided into two experimental groups of 15 people along with a control group. They answered the Quinless and Nilsson (1988) Clark, Maleki Academic Grit Scale (2019) Academic Determination Questionnaire in three pre-post-tests as well as 2-month follow-up sessions. The subjects in the experimental group underwent self-hypnosis and future vision training in groups for 6 sessions, one 90-minute session per week, but the control group was not given training. The data were analyzed using SPSS software via the mixed multivariate analysis of variance test and the repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance test. The results revealed that there is a significant difference between the effectiveness of self-hypnosis and future vision training on academic determination in students with learned helplessness. Specifically, self-hypnosis training significantly enhanced academic determination compared to the control group. These findings highlight the high effectiveness of self-hypnosis as a psychological intervention in boosting motivation and academic persistence. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that self-hypnosis is a powerful tool for ameliorating academic determination in students experiencing learned helplessness, suggesting that it can be effectively incorporated into educational as well as counseling programs to boost students' motivation, resilience, and persistence in learning tasks.

A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Emotional Focused Therapy (EFT) on Impulsive Behaviors and Emotional Self-regulation in People with Obesity

Jafar Shabani

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy and emotion-focused therapy on impulsive behaviors and emotional self-regulation in obese individuals. The statistical population of the study was all women aged 20 to 30 who referred to nutrition clinics in Tehran in 1401. Impulsivity questionnaires (Bart et al., 1995) and emotional self-regulation questionnaires (Hoffman and Kashdan, 2010) were used to measure the research variables. The research method was a semi-experimental design with a pre-test/post-test and follow-up with a control group. For this purpose, 45 people were selected using convenience sampling and randomly assigned to two experimental groups and a control group (15 people each). Then, experimental groups received acceptance and commitment therapy and emotion-focused therapy for 8 sessions (one 90-minute session per week).The groups were also evaluated in three time stages: pre-test, post-test, and three-month follow-up. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance and Bonferroni post hoc tests. The results of the study showed that there is a significant difference between the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy and emotion-focused therapy on impulsive behaviors and emotional self-regulation in obese women. According to the findings, emotion-focused therapy was more effective in reducing impulsive behaviors and improving emotional self-regulation in people with obesity. Based on this study, it is recommended that therapists use acceptance and commitment therapy and emotion-focused therapy to reduce impulsive behaviors and improve emotional self-regulation in obese individuals.

How Childhood Emotional Neglect Becomes Cyberbullying Perpetration: A Structural Model of Alexithymia, Internalized Shame and Self-Compassion

Majid Azizi

Cyberbullying Perpetration (CP) is a multifaceted and complex behavior that significantly affects individuals’ mental health and social functioning due to enduring patterns of maladaptive interpersonal relationships. The present study examined the relationship between childhood emotional neglect (CEN) and CP within a structural model, focusing on the mediating roles of alexithymia, self-compassion, and internalized shame (IS). The sample consisted of 375 active Iranian social media users aged 18 to 35 who completed the Short Form of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the Cyberbullying Perpetration Questionnaire, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the Internalized Shame Scale, and the Short Form of the Self-Compassion Scale. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the hypothesized relationships. Findings revealed that CEN was directly associated with higher CP, and alexithymia emerged as the only significant mediator linking CEN to CP. Although CEN was related to increased IS and reduced self-compassion, these variables did not significantly mediate CP, suggesting that the impact of CEN operates primarily through disruptions in emotional processing and regulation. These results highlight the importance of preventive and therapeutic interventions aimed at enhancing emotional literacy, affect labeling, and emotion regulation skills among individuals with a history of CEN, emphasizing that anti-CP programs should prioritize reducing alexithymia and promoting adaptive emotional processing.

Effectiveness of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction Training on Anxiety Sensitivity, Rumination, and Self-Esteem in Adolescents with Social Anxiety Disorder

Hossein Souri

Social fears, especially during adolescence and adulthood, can have profound and widespread impacts on personal and social life. The study aimed to determine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction training on anxiety sensitivity, rumination, and self-esteem in adolescents with social anxiety disorder. The research design was quasi-experimental with a pre-test and post-test involving two groups: experimental and control. The statistical population included adolescents with social anxiety disorder. From this population, 30 individuals were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to two groups (15 in the experimental group and 15 in the control group). The participants in the experimental group underwent mindfulness-based stress reduction training. The measurement instruments included the Anxiety Sensitivity Scale (Floyd et al., 2005), the Rumination Scale (Nolen-Hoeksema & Morrow, 1991), and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (1965). For data analysis, covariance analysis and SPSS 26 software were used. A significant difference was observed between the post-test means of anxiety sensitivity, rumination, and self-esteem in the experimental and control groups (p < .005). The results indicated that mindfulness-based stress reduction training has an effect on anxiety sensitivity, rumination, and self-esteem in adolescents with social anxiety disorder.

The Mediating Role of Psychological Capital in the Relationship between Perceived Job Security with Organizational Loyalty and Extra-Role Behaviors

Ali Mehdad

The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the mediating role of psychological capital in the relationship between perceived job security and organizational loyalty and extra-role behaviors. This research was a correlational study of the structural equation modeling type. The statistical population of this research consisted of all managers and supervisors working in the mines and mining companies of Irankooh in the year 1403 (2024-2025). From among them, 180 individuals were selected as the sample size using the available sampling method. The instruments used included Kumar and Shekhar's (2012) Organizational Loyalty Questionnaire, Luthans et al.'s (2007) Psychological Capital Questionnaire, Francis and Barling's (2005) Job Security Perception Questionnaire, and Lee and Allen's (2002) Extra-Role Behaviors Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS and Smart PLS software. The results of data analysis regarding the direct effects of variables on each other showed that perceived job security has a direct and significant effect on psychological capital, organizational loyalty, and extra-role behaviors. Furthermore, the direct effects of psychological capital on extra-role behaviors and organizational loyalty were significant. Moreover, the indirect effect of psychological capital in relationship between perceived job security and organizational loyalty and with extra-role behaviors was significant. based on the findings of this study, the need to pay attention to the role and impact of perceived job security should be at the core of attention for managers of the studied organization and other organizations.