The effectiveness of compassionate mind-based therapy on cognitive and emotional processing deficits of adolescent soldiers aged 18 to 20 years with high-risk behaviors

High-risk behaviors are defined as acts that increase the likelihood of physical, psychological and social disastrous consequences for the individuals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of compassionate mind therapy on cognitive deficits and emotional processing deficits among adolescent soldiers aged 18 to 20 years old with high-risk behaviors. The method of the present study was quasi-experimental with pre-test and post-test design. The population included all adolescent soldiers aged 18 to 20 years who referred to Valiasr Medical Center in Tehran in 2020. The sample consisted of 30 soldiers with high-risk behaviors who were purposefully selected among those who had completed the consent form based on entry and exit criteria. The selected individuals were randomly divided into two groups (15 people in each group). In order to collect data, Iranian adolescents’ risk-taking questionnaires, Cognitive Failures Questionnaire and Toronto Alexithymia scale were used. The experimental group was trained for eight sessions of compassion treatment and the control group did not receive any treatment. The data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance and SPSS-23 software. The results showed that compassion-based therapy reduced cognitive deficits (p < .01) and emotional processing deficits (p < .05). According to the results of the present study, employing compassionate practice and increasing positive emotions can expand an individual’s behavioral-intellectual treasury, pave the way for successful problem solving, reduce negative intra-individual emotions, provide interpersonal skills, and thus reduce risky behaviors.