The Effect of Cognitive-behavioral Therapy on Communication Skills and Eating Disorders among Adolescents with Eating Disorders

One of the main indications for cognitive behavioral treatment is eating disorders (CBT). This study examine the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy on communication skills and eating disorders among high school adolescents. The present study employed a quasi-experimental design composed of a pre-test and post-test design in experimental and control groups. A total of 40 students were selected and randomly assigned to experimental (n=20) and control (n=20) groups through a multistage cluster sampling method. Cognitivebehavioral therapy was performed in nine 60-minute sessions for the experimental group, while the control group did not receive any intervention. Queendom’s Communication Skills Test-Revised Inventory (2004) and Garner’s Eating Disorders Questionnaire (Garner, 1979) were used to collect data. All statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS 24.0 software for Windows (SPSS Inc.), and P<0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. The Mean±SD of communication skills in the Case group in pre-test and post-test were as follows:75.15±6.67, 81.75±6.04. The Mean±SD of Eating Disorders in the Case group in pre-test and post-test were as follows:36.5±1.71, 36.95±3.44 The results obtained from the analysis of covariance showed that cognitive-behavioral therapy had a significant effect on communication skills and eating disorders (P=0.01). According to the findings of this study, it can be concluded that cognitive-behavioral therapy can be adopted as a suitable method of improving communication skills and the treatment of eating disorders in adolescent students