emotion regulation

The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of an empowerment-based educational program and emotion-focused therapy on resilience and emotion regulation in women experiencing domestic violence in Tehran.  

Methods and Materials:

 This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest approach, including an experimental group, a control group, and a follow-up phase. The statistical population consisted of all women who had experienced domestic violence and visited psychological clinics in Tehran during the first half of 2023. Using convenience sampling, participants were voluntarily selected and assigned to two experimental groups (15 participants in each group) and one control group (15 participants). The experimental group receiving the empowerment-based educational program participated in 10 sessions of 90 minutes each, while the group receiving emotion-focused therapy underwent 12 sessions of 90 minutes each. The control group was placed on a waiting list. The measurement tools used in this study included the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (Connor & Davidson, 2003) and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (Garnefski & Kraaij, 2006). Data obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS software (version 23) through descriptive and inferential statistical methods, including multivariate analysis of variance with repeated measures. 

The results indicated that the intervention methods (empowerment-based educational program and emotion-focused therapy) had a significant effect on the components of personal competence, tolerance of negative affect, positive acceptance of change, and personal trust compared to the control group (p < .05). Furthermore, the extent of change in the empowerment-based educational program group for the components of personal competence, tolerance of negative affect, and positive acceptance of change was greater than that in the emotion-focused therapy group (p < .05). Additionally, the findings showed that the intervention methods significantly impacted the components of emotion regulation (p < .05). The extent of change in the empowerment-based educational program group for the components of positive refocusing, self-blame, and blaming others was greater than that in the emotion-focused therapy group (p < .05). 

It appears that the empowerment-based educational program is more effective than emotion-focused therapy in improving resilience and emotion regulation in women experiencing domestic violence.

The present study aimed to compare the effect of mindfulness training and cognitive-behavioral games on emotion regulation in elementary school students.

Methods and Materials: 

The research method was quasi-experimental, and data were collected using a pretest-posttest-follow-up design (three-group design) with two experimental groups and one control group. The statistical population included all second-cycle elementary school students (grades 4 to 6) in District 7 of Tehran during the 2022–2023 academic year. From this population, 45 students were selected using convenience sampling and were randomly assigned to two experimental groups (15 students each) and one control group (15 students). The mindfulness training experimental group underwent 12 sessions of 90 minutes each, and the cognitive-behavioral games experimental group also received 12 sessions of 90 minutes each. The instrument used in this study was the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (Gross & John, 2003).

Data analysis was conducted using SPSS v24 software in both descriptive and inferential sections, employing repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). The findings indicated that both interventions significantly improved emotion regulation in elementary school students. However, the degree of change in emotion regulation was greater in the cognitive-behavioral games group compared to the mindfulness training group.

Given the effectiveness of these interventions, it can be concluded that both training programs, by employing their specific techniques, successfully enhanced students' emotion regulation.

 The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Reality Therapy training based on Choice Theory on mental health and emotion regulation in female middle school students.

Methods and Materials: 

The research method was quasi-experimental with a pre-test, post-test, follow-up, and control group design. The statistical population of the present study included all female middle school students in District 11 of Tehran during the 2021-2022 academic year, from which 30 individuals were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to two groups: intervention and control. Participants completed the Goldberg General Health Questionnaire (1978) and the Gross and John Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (2003) for pre-test, post-test, and follow-up assessments. In this study, Reality Therapy training based on Choice Theory was conducted in 12 sessions, each lasting 90 minutes. Repeated measures ANOVA was used for data analysis.

 The results indicated that Reality Therapy based on Choice Theory in the intervention group significantly reduced mental health problems compared to the control group (P = 0.001). Additionally, Reality Therapy based on Choice Theory in the intervention group led to a decrease in suppression and an increase in reappraisal compared to the control group (P = 0.001).

 The findings of the present study demonstrated that Reality Therapy training based on Choice Theory improved mental health and emotion regulation in female middle school students. Based on these results, it is recommended to conduct Reality Therapy training sessions based on Choice Theory for adolescent girls in schools.

Adolescence brings about new changes in the psychological system, including thinking and planning for the future, evaluating alternatives, introspection, reasoning, abstract thinking, new levels of autonomy and assertiveness, and generally new cognitive abilities.

Methods and Materials:

This study aimed to examine the fit of the psychological well-being model of adolescents based on early maladaptive schemas with the mediation of emotion regulation. The research design was applied in nature, using a descriptive-correlational method with a structural modeling approach. The statistical population of this study included all adolescents studying in the second period of secondary schools in Tehran during the academic year 2020-2021. The sample consisted of 400 individuals selected from the research population using cluster sampling. The tools used in this study included the Psychological Well-Being Questionnaire (Ryff, 1989), the Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form (Young, 1994), and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (Gratz & Roemer, 2004). For data analysis in descriptive statistics, SPSS-24 software was used, and for inferential statistical analysis to test hypotheses and confirm or reject them, the structural equation modeling (SEM) method with AMOS-22 software was employed.

The findings indicated that, according to the chi-square and RMSEA criteria, the model provided a good fit for the data regarding the psychological well-being of adolescents based on early maladaptive schemas with the mediation of emotion regulation.

Emotion regulation serves as a mediator between psychological well-being and early maladaptive schemas, meaning that early maladaptive schemas can indirectly enhance psychological well-being by reducing emotional dysregulation.

Marriage is the largest and most important event in an individual's life, and a healthy marriage necessitates several elements including intimacy, commitment, and satisfaction. The present study aims to explain the model of predicting marital commitment based on object relations with the mediating role of emotion regulation.

The statistical population of this study included all married couples residing in the city of Qom in 2023, totaling 7,634 individuals. From this population, 148 women and 110 men were selected through purposive sampling. This research utilized a descriptive-correlational and structural equation modeling design. Participants completed the Marital Commitment Inventory (DCI) by Adams and Jones (1997), the Emotion Regulation Scale (ACS) by Williams et al. (1997), and the Object Relations Scale by Bell et al. (1995). Data analysis was conducted descriptively and inferentially using SPSS-28 and AMOS-24 software. The relationships between variables were analyzed using Pearson correlation and path analysis, and the mediating role was tested using the Sobel method.

The findings of this study indicated that the mediating role of emotion regulation in the relationship between object relations and marital commitment was confirmed (p < .05). The indirect effect of object relations on marital commitment was -0.319.

The results showed that considering the complex reciprocal influence of topics emerging in couples' interactions and experiences, as well as the role of emotion regulation, can provide valuable insights into the factors that contribute to the success and longevity of relationships.

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of schema-based parenting training on emotion regulation and stress in mothers with children under the age of six.

Methods and Materials:

This research employed a quantitative method with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design, involving two experimental groups and one control group. The statistical population included all mothers with children under six years old in the city of Isfahan. Sampling was done purposefully by visiting kindergartens in Isfahan. Based on the cut-off points of the questionnaires and the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 30 participants were selected and randomly assigned into two groups: one experimental group (15 participants) and one control group (15 participants). Schema-based parenting training sessions (competent parenting) based on the protocol by Mehrabian et al. (2022) were conducted for the experimental group, while the control group did not receive any intervention. The research tools included the Abidin Parental Stress Index (1995) - Short Form, and the Shields and Cicchetti Emotion Regulation Checklist (1995). The collected data were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests (Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance and Bonferroni post hoc test) with SPSS software.

Given that the calculated F values for between-group effects (group membership effect) and within-group effects (time effect), as well as the interaction effect of group and time, were significant at the 99% confidence level (P < 0.01), these results indicate a significant difference between the two groups. Furthermore, it suggests that this significant difference exists in at least one of the intervention periods among the research groups. The results of the Bonferroni post hoc test showed a significant difference in the scores of adaptive emotion regulation, instability/negativity, and stress across the research stages between the experimental and control groups (P < 0.01). In other words, schema-based parenting training had a significant positive impact on the research variables (P < 0.01).

These results confirm that this approach can be utilized as an effective strategy in improving parenting abilities and reducing psychological challenges in mothers during the parenting period.

Cancer is one of the most challenging diseases globally and has the second highest mortality rate after cardiovascular diseases, leading to significant issues such as despair and insecurity. The present study aims to develop a transdiagnostic training package based on the components of ACT and EFT, and to assess its effectiveness on psychological security and hope for life in cancer patients. This research is quasi-experimental research with a control group design with pre-test and post-test. The statistical population included all individuals diagnosed with cancer who visited medical centers in Tehran in 2024. Criteria for entering the research: women aged 20-40 with lung cancer that diagnosed with the first level, undergoing drug and chemotherapy treatment, obtaining consent to participate in the research. Exclusion criteria: unwillingness to continue psychotherapy sessions, absence of more than 3-2 sessions, participation in other psychotherapy sessions, increase in the course of the disease and entering the second aggravated stage of the disease as diagnosed by the treating physician, having psychological symptoms as diagnosed by the treating psychiatrist. After obtaining informed consent, 30 people were selected by convenience sampling and placed in two experimental and control groups by simple random assignment method, taking into account the entry criteria. Data collection was conducted using the Hope for Life questionnaire (Schneider et al., 1991), Psychological Security questionnaire (Maslow, 2004), and the protocol of the transdiagnostic training package based on ACT and EFT. Data analysis was performed using multivariate analysis of covariance and SPSS-25 software. The results of the multivariate covariance analysis showed that by removing the effect of the pre-test and considering the F value and the significance level below (p<0.05), the meta-diagnostic package based on the component of acceptance and commitment and emotion-oriented treatments was effective on psychological security and life expectancy in cancer patients. Based on the findings, it was determined that the development of a transdiagnostic training package based on acceptance and commitment therapy and emotion regulation is effective in improving psychological security and hope for life in cancer patients. Therefore, attention should be given to the role of transdiagnostic packages based on acceptance and commitment therapy and emotion regulation in enhancing psychological security and hope among individuals with cancer.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is based on intrusive thoughts which cause anxiety and compulsive behaviors that cause distress to patients. In this regard, this study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of schema therapy on distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and resilience in patients with OCD. The research method was a field-experimental pre-test-post-test type with a control group. 30 patients with OCD symptoms from psychology clinics in Rasht City in 2022 were selected as available, and assigned to the experimental (n=15) and control (n=15) groups. OCD (Sanavio, 1988), distress tolerance (Simons and Gaher, 2005), emotion regulation (Garnefski, et al, 2001), and resilience (Connor and Davidson, 2003) questionnaires were used to evaluate the groups. The experimental group's 10 90-minute schema therapy sessions (Young et al, 2006) were followed by a second round of study questionnaire responses from the participants.  Finally, obtained data were analyzed by multivariate covariance analysis in SPSS-24 software (P<.05). This study’s results showed that schema therapy significantly increases tolerance, attraction, assessment, regulation, positive strategies, and resilience, and decreases negative strategies in the patients with OCD (P<.001). Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the treatment plan has been able to increase the mental health of patients with OCD.

Recent studies have demonstrated the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an emotion regulation training program based on an integrated transdiagnostic treatment approach on mood symptoms and strategies for coping with negative emotions in depressed adolescents during the COVID-19 quarantine period.

This experimental trial study was conducted on 20 depressed adolescents in Tehran, Iran, in 2020. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups (experiment and a control group, each consisting of 10 individuals). The Emotion Regulation Checklist (ERC) and the Coping with Children's Negative Emotions Scale (CCNES) were used for this purpose. The experimental group received 19 online sessions, consisting of 16 sessions for adolescents and three sessions for parents. The emotion regulation training program, based on an integrated transdiagnostic treatment approach, was delivered in the form of 75-minute weekly sessions. Data analysis was performed using ANCOVA (R version 2.4), with a significance level of P<0.05.

The two groups were similar in terms of demographic and baseline variables. After the intervention, significant changes were observed in problem-focused (1.55 vs. -0.02, P<0.001), emotion-focused (1.06 vs. -0.01, P<0.001), expressive encouragement (1.55 vs. -0.07, P<0.001), punitive (-1.56 vs. 0.00, P<0.001), minimization (-1.64 vs. -0.01, P<0.001), distress (-1.95 vs. 0.00, P<0.001), emotion regulation (0.62 vs. -0.01, P<0.001), and emotion negativity (-0.58 vs. -0.07, P<0.001) between the two groups.

The results of the current study indicate that an emotion regulation training program based on an integrated transdiagnostic treatment approach is an effective technique for reducing negative emotions and mood symptoms in depressed adolescents during the COVID-19 quarantine period.