A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on Psychological Distress and Ego Strength in Women Victims of Domestic Violence
2025· The Iranian Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders· Vol 4, pp. 28-39· 0 citations
Abstract
Purpose: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on reducing psychological distress and enhancing ego strength in women victims of domestic violence. Methods and Materials: This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest-follow-up design with a control group. Forty-five women aged 20 to 45 who had experienced domestic violence and met the inclusion criteria were selected purposefully from counseling centers in Gorgan, Iran, and randomly assigned into three groups: ISTDP (n = 15), ACT (n = 15), and control (n = 15). Participants completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) and the Ego Strength Scale (ESS) before and after the interventions and again at a three-month follow-up. The ISTDP intervention was administered in 15 individual sessions, and the ACT protocol was delivered in 8 individual sessions. The control group was placed on a waitlist. Data were analyzed using repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and Bonferroni post hoc tests. Findings: The results indicated significant effects of time on psychological distress variables including depression (F = 102.07, P < .001), anxiety (F = 33.70, P < .001), and stress (F = 72.75, P < .001), and on ego strength dimensions such as ego control (F = 48.57, P < .001), resilience (F = 18.59, P < .001), mature defenses (F = 79.95, P < .001), problem-focused coping (F = 28.23, P < .001), and emotion-focused coping (F = 30.55, P < .001). However, no significant differences were found between the ISTDP and ACT groups (P > .05) in any of the outcome variables. Conclusion: Both ISTDP and ACT were equally effective in significantly reducing psychological distress and improving ego strength in women victims of domestic violence, and their benefits were sustained at follow-up. These findings support the use of either therapy in trauma-focused clinical interventions.
Introduction: Distress tolerance, as a transdiagnostic construct, plays a pivotal role in the persistence of anxiety disorders. The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) on distress tolerance among women with anxiety symptoms.
Methods:This was a quasi-experimental study employing a pretest–posttest control group design. The statistical population consisted of all women with anxiety symptoms referred to counseling centers in Bojnord, Iran, during 2025. A total of 45 participants were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to three groups: ACT, CFT, and control (n=15 per group). The research instruments comprised the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Distress Tolerance Scale. The experimental groups each received eight 90-minute weekly sessions of ACT and CFT, respectively, while the control group received no intervention.
Results: Analysis of covariance revealed statistically significant between-group differences in the distress tolerance (F=73/64, p=0/001) and all subscales (p<0/001). Effect sizes ranged from 0/32 to 0/78. Post-hoc comparisons indicated that both ACT and CFT produced significant improvements in the total score and all subscales of distress tolerance relative to the control group (p<0/001); however, no statistically significant difference was found between the two interventions (p>0/05).
Conclusion: ACT and CFT are equally effective and clinically viable transdiagnostic interventions for improving multiple dimensions of distress tolerance in women with anxiety symptoms. Clinicians may draw upon either protocol to enhance distress tolerance capacity in comparable clinical populations.
Azam Akbari, Ali Ebrahimi, Fatemeh Esmaili· The Journal of Tolooebehdash...· 0 citations
Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL) are prone to low self-acceptance due to stigma, guilt, and emotional pressure during legal proceedings. Given that CICL often experience cognitive fusion with negative self-labels and engage in avoidant coping, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) was selected for its emphasis on psychological flexibility through mindfulness, acceptance, cognitive defusion, and values-based committed action. This study aims to analyze changes in Subject N's self-acceptance through mindfulness-based ACT. The quantitative method uses an A-B-A Single Subject Research (SSR) design, consisting of baseline A1, intervention B, and post-intervention A2. The subject is a CICL identified as N with low self-acceptance. The intervention integrates six core ACT processes with mindfulness exercises, delivered over seven sessions of 40 minutes each. Data from questionnaires and structured observations measure four aspects: awareness of vulnerability, balanced self-perception, separation of behavior from self-worth, and unconditional self-acceptance. Data were analyzed visually. Results showed a significant increase from 10 (low) at A1 to 31 (high) at A2. The 0% overlap confirms changes occurred due to the intervention. Thus, mindfulness-based ACT effectively improves Subject N's self-acceptance and can be an adaptive intervention for CICL with low self-acceptance.
Nurul Aya Mufidah Rahmat Rahmat, Sahril Buchori, M. Amirllah et al.· JPGI (Jurnal Penelitian Guru...· 0 citations
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious yet preventable public health issue. Resilience plays a significant role in helping women overcome the effects of IPV. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of self-help training on the resilience of women exposed to IPV.
In this clinical trial, 62 female survivors of violence who were attending comprehensive health service centers in 2022, randomly assigned to either an intervention or a control group. Data collection instruments included a demographic characteristics questionnaire, the Violence Against Women Scale, the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and the problem-focused coping subscale of the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WOCQ) by Lazarus and Folkman. The training in this study was delivered in person using lectures, group discussions, and question-and-answer sessions. The total number of sessions was 14 sessions of 60 min each, for two groups of 16 participants. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 21), independent
t
-tests, and analysis of variance with repeated measures (ANOVA).
The results demonstrated a significant increase in resilience scores in the intervention group over time, (baseline 58.27 ± 19.83, immediately 65.79 ± 17.77, one month 66.68 ± 17.49, and two months 66.44 ± 17.61, post-intervention) (
P
value: 0.002). And in effective coping style scores (baseline 35.51 ± 11.64, immediately 43.13 ± 12.47, one month 43.37 ± 12.39, and two months 43.86 ± 12.65, post-intervention) (
P
value: 0.008).
Verbal self-instruction improves resilience scores and effective coping styles, but its impact is greater on resilience. This training method can be included in counseling and support programs to optimize healthcare services for women affected by domestic violence.
Simin Karimifar, F. Zargar, Zahra Boroumandfar· Journal of Education and Hea...· 0 citations
Background: Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of a mobile app-delivered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (IACT) programme for individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in their PTSD symptoms. However, there are still few studies on its mediating mechanism.Objective: This secondary analysis aimed to examine whether six components of psychological flexibility - acceptance, present-moment awareness, self-as-context, cognitive defusion, valued living, and committed action - mediate the effects of an IACT programme for individuals with PTSD.Method: Data were obtained from a randomized controlled trial in which participants were assigned to an IACT condition (n = 78) or a waitlist control (WL; n = 67). Using a latent growth curve modelling approach with bias-corrected bootstrapped confidence intervals, changes in PTSD symptoms and psychological flexibility components were assessed at baseline (T1) and following each of six intervention modules (T2-T7).Results: Relative to WL, the IACT group showed significantly greater improvements in both PTSD symptoms and all six flexibility components. Mediation analyses revealed that four processes - acceptance, self-as-context, cognitive defusion, and committed action - fully mediated the intervention's effects on PTSD outcomes, whereas valued living and present-moment awareness served as partial mediators.Conclusions: These findings suggest that enhancing these components of psychological flexibility may be crucial for effective IACT treatment of PTSD.
Chunxiao Zhao, Zhihong Ren, Michael E. Levin et al.· European Journal of Psychotr...· 0 citations
Purpose: The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Unified Protocol (UP) transdiagnostic treatment and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) on emotional dysregulation and distress tolerance in patients with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Methods and Materials: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest and follow-up structure, including two experimental groups and one control group. The statistical population consisted of individuals diagnosed with GAD in Tehran, from which sixty participants were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to UP, CBT, and control groups. Data were collected using the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and the Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS). The UP and CBT interventions were administered in twelve 90-minute group sessions, while the control group received no intervention. Data analysis was conducted using repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc tests in SPSS-27. Findings: The results revealed significant effects of time, group, and the interaction between time and group on emotional dysregulation and distress tolerance (p < 0.001). Both UP and CBT interventions significantly reduced emotional dysregulation and increased distress tolerance compared to the control group. Furthermore, the UP intervention demonstrated significantly greater effectiveness than CBT in improving both variables at posttest and follow-up stages, with large effect sizes indicating substantial intervention impact. Conclusion: The findings indicate that both UP and CBT are effective interventions for improving emotional dysregulation and distress tolerance in patients with GAD; however, the Unified Protocol appears to be more effective, likely due to its transdiagnostic focus on core emotional processes. These results support the application of UP as a comprehensive and flexible treatment approach for anxiety disorders.
Negar Jarban· The Iranian Journal of Neuro...· 0 citations
OBJECTIVES
Emotional symptoms are highly prevalent among university students and are a frequent reason for seeking care in university psychological services. The Unified Protocol for the transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders (UP) may offer an efficient intervention for this context. this study examined the effectiveness of a brief face-to-face group adaptation of the UP in treatment-seeking university students, 12-month follow-up effects, and whether neuroticism, extraversion, and self-compassion mediated treatment effects.
DESIGN
A quasi-experimental mixed design included UP group treatment, a waitlist control condition (WLC), and repeated measures.
METHODS
One hundred and two students attending a university psychological service were assigned to UP group treatment (n = 51) or WLC (n = 51). Depression, anxiety, stress, neuroticism, extraversion, self-compassion, and quality of life were assessed at baseline (T1) and post-treatment/waitlist reassessment (T2; 9 weeks) and additionally at 12-month follow-up (T3) for the UP group.
RESULTS
UP participants showed significant reductions in depression, anxiety, stress, and neuroticism, and significant improvements in quality of life and self-compassion, with moderate to large effect sizes. Most treatment gains were maintained at follow-up, and quality of life and neuroticism continued to improve over time. Mediation analyses suggested that neuroticism reductions mediated emotional symptoms and quality-of-life improvements, whereas self-compassion increases mediated stress reduction and quality-of-life improvement. Extraversion was not a unique mediator when considered alongside neuroticism and self-compassion.
CONCLUSIONS
A group adaptation of the UP may be a clinically useful and efficient intervention for treatment-seeking university students with emotional symptoms. Neuroticism and self-compassion may represent relevant transdiagnostic change processes.
Antonio Ayuso-Bartol, M. Gómez-Martínez, Aitor Vicente-Arruebarrena et al.· British Journal of Clinical...· 0 citations
We use cookies to run the site and, with your consent, for analytics and to show ads.
See our Cookie Policy.
