Journal of Psychological Dynamics in Mood Disorders

Objective: The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of online group therapy based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on alexithymia and grief symptoms in war-bereaved individuals.

Methodology: This study employed a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of war-bereaved men and women aged 25 to 55 years living in Tehran in 1405 (Persian calendar). Forty participants were selected using purposive sampling and randomly assigned into experimental and control groups (20 participants each). The experimental group received eight 60-minute sessions of online group ACT based on Hayes’ (2004) protocol, while the control group remained on a waiting list. Research instruments included the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and the Grief Experience Questionnaire (GEQ). Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and Bonferroni post-hoc test in SPSS-28.

Findings: The results of MANCOVA demonstrated that online group ACT significantly reduced alexithymia (η²p=0.24, p=0.001) and its components including difficulty identifying feelings (η²p=0.21), difficulty describing feelings (η²p=0.19), and externally oriented thinking (η²p=0.11). Significant reductions were also observed in grief symptoms (η²p=0.28, p=0.001) and the subcomponents of guilt feelings (η²p=0.22), physical reactions (η²p=0.17), feelings of abandonment (η²p=0.10), and judgment regarding the cause of death (η²p=0.04) (p<0.05). However, no significant differences were found between the groups regarding attempts to justify and cope, shame and embarrassment, and stigma.

Conclusion: Online group Acceptance and Commitment Therapy appears to be an effective intervention for reducing alexithymia and grief symptoms among war-bereaved individuals. This approach may serve as an accessible, flexible, and evidence-based therapeutic method for psychological rehabilitation of war survivors in counseling and psychotherapy settings.

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy on reducing academic trauma and improving academic performance among students with experiences of school bullying.

Methods and Materials: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test, control group, and three-month follow-up assessment. The statistical population consisted of male and female middle school students in Tehran during the 2023–2024 academic year who reported experiences of school bullying. The sample initially included 50 students; however, after attrition, data from 47 participants, including 24 students in the experimental group and 23 students in the control group, were analyzed. The experimental group received eight 90-minute sessions of EMDR therapy, while the control group remained on a waiting list. Research instruments included the Peer Bullying Questionnaire, Academic Trauma Scale, and Academic Performance Checklist. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance and repeated measures analysis of variance in SPSS-26 software.

Findings: The results of multivariate analysis of covariance indicated significant differences between the experimental and control groups in academic trauma after controlling for pre-test scores (F=48.72, P<0.001, η²=0.53). Furthermore, academic performance significantly improved in the experimental group compared to the control group (F=42.15, P<0.001, η²=0.49). Results of repeated measures analysis of variance also revealed significant effects of time and time×group interaction for both variables (P<0.001), indicating the stability of treatment effects at the three-month follow-up stage.

Conclusion: The findings demonstrated that EMDR therapy can be considered an effective intervention for reducing academic trauma and improving academic performance among students exposed to school bullying. By reducing the emotional burden of traumatic memories, improving emotional regulation, and modifying negative cognitions, EMDR facilitates better psychological and educational adjustment. Therefore, implementing trauma-focused interventions in schools and student counseling centers appears essential.

Background and Aim: A baby is born into a family and begins its first interactions with the environment. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy and group narrative therapy on the cognitive emotion regulation of mothers of children with hearing impairments in Shahr-e Kord.

Method: The present study was a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test, post-test, and three-month follow-up with a control group. The statistical population of the present study included mothers of children with hearing impairments who referred to the SINA specialized education center for children with hearing impairments in Shahr-e Kord in 2018-2019. Their number was reported as 96. From the statistical population, 60 mothers were selected using convenience sampling and randomly assigned to three groups. The instruments used in this study were the Emotion Regulation Strategy Scale (2006), the Compassion-Focused Therapy protocol, which is a 12-session intervention based on Gilbert's (2010) treatment plan, and the Narrative Therapy protocol, which is a 12-session intervention based on Payne's (2004) protocol. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 23.

Findings: The results showed that with the experimental intervention, positive and negative emotion regulation changed in the post-test phase, and this change continued in the follow-up phase. The F-value for positive emotion regulation (81.25 and 61.96) and negative emotion regulation (50.86 and 52.42) indicates that the linear and non-linear trend of participants' scores in different levels of positive and negative emotion regulation variables is not the same in the experimental and control groups.

Conclusion: The results of data analysis showed that compassion-focused therapy had a significant effect on the test stages (pre-test, post-test, and follow-up) of positive and negative emotion regulation variables in mothers of children with hearing impairments. Compassion-focused therapy had a significant effect on positive and negative emotion regulation in mothers of children with hearing impairments. The findings also indicated that narrative therapy had a significant effect on positive and negative emotion regulation in mothers of children with hearing impairments.

Objective: The present study aimed to predict children’s anxiety based on mothers’ emotional adjustment, alexithymia, and family accommodation.

Methodology: This study employed a descriptive-correlational design. The statistical population consisted of children and adolescents aged 10–18 years living in Gorgan, Iran, in autumn 2025, along with their mothers. A sample of 480 children and their mothers was selected using multi-stage random cluster sampling. Instruments included the Anxiety subscale of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), the Emotional Adjustment subscale of the Bell Adjustment Inventory, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and the Family Accommodation Scale–Anxiety (FAS-A). Data were analyzed using SPSS-28 through Pearson correlation coefficients and stepwise regression analysis.

Findings: Results indicated a significant negative correlation between mothers’ emotional adjustment and children’s anxiety (r = -0.29, p < .05), a significant positive correlation between mothers’ alexithymia and children’s anxiety (r = 0.61, p < .05), and a significant negative correlation between mothers’ family accommodation and children’s anxiety (r = -0.65, p < .05). Stepwise regression analysis revealed that family accommodation accounted for 42% of the variance in children’s anxiety (F = 108.42, p < .05). With the inclusion of alexithymia in the second step, the explained variance increased to 52% (F = 79.93, p < .001). Emotional adjustment did not enter the final regression model due to shared variance with other predictors.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that higher maternal alexithymia and maladaptive family accommodation are associated with elevated anxiety levels in children, underscoring the importance of addressing maternal emotional characteristics in prevention and intervention programs for childhood anxiety.

Objective: The present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between distress tolerance and conflict management with public speaking anxiety among students.

Methodology: This study employed a descriptive-correlational design. The statistical population consisted of all undergraduate students in humanities fields at Islamic Azad University, Babol Branch, during the 2020–2021 academic year, from whom 357 participants were selected through convenience sampling. Research instruments included the Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety by Cho, Smith, and Telch, the Distress Tolerance Scale by Simons and Gaher, and the Conflict Management Questionnaire by Gamar-Erikson et al. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise regression analysis. Prior to inferential analyses, the normality of data distribution was confirmed through skewness, kurtosis, and Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests.

Findings: The findings demonstrated a significant negative relationship between distress tolerance and public speaking anxiety, indicating that higher distress tolerance was associated with lower levels of public speaking anxiety. A significant negative relationship was also found between conflict management and public speaking anxiety. Correlation analyses revealed that distress tolerance correlated negatively with public speaking anxiety (r = -0.35), while conflict management also showed a negative correlation (r = -0.30). Stepwise regression results indicated that both distress tolerance and conflict management significantly predicted public speaking anxiety and explained a meaningful proportion of its variance. Furthermore, the Durbin–Watson statistic confirmed the independence of residuals and the adequacy of the regression model.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that emotional and interpersonal characteristics play a significant role in students’ experiences of public speaking anxiety. Greater distress tolerance appears to reduce anxiety in public speaking situations, while effective conflict management may alleviate concerns related to social evaluation and interpersonal interactions. Therefore, implementing educational and counseling interventions focused on improving distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and conflict management skills may contribute to reducing public speaking anxiety and enhancing students’ academic and social functioning.

Objective: The present study aimed to develop a structural model for predicting asthma symptom control based on self-compassion with the mediating role of emotion regulation in patients with asthma.

Methodology: This descriptive–correlational study using path analysis was conducted on 153 patients with asthma who attended clinics and hospitals in Tehran in 2023. Participants were selected through purposive sampling. Data collection instruments included the Asthma Control Test (ACT), the Self-Compassion Scale, and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and path analysis through SPSS-24 and AMOS-24 software. Model fit was assessed using χ²/df, CFI, GFI, AGFI, and RMSEA indices.

Findings: The results demonstrated that self-compassion had a positive and significant relationship with asthma symptom control (β=0.486, p<0.001). Adaptive emotion regulation strategies positively predicted asthma symptom control (β=0.354, p<0.001), whereas maladaptive emotion regulation strategies negatively predicted symptom control (β=-0.188, p=0.002). The indirect effect of self-compassion on asthma symptom control through emotion regulation was also significant (β=0.065, p=0.041). Model fit indices indicated an acceptable fit between the proposed model and the collected data (χ²/df=1.69, CFI=0.987, GFI=0.993, AGFI=0.895, RMSEA=0.066). Moreover, the study variables explained 44% of the variance in asthma symptom control.

Conclusion: The findings indicated that self-compassion and emotion regulation play substantial roles in asthma symptom control, and emotion regulation—particularly maladaptive strategies—mediates the relationship between self-compassion and asthma symptom control. Therefore, incorporating psychological interventions aimed at enhancing self-compassion and improving adaptive emotion regulation strategies may contribute to better asthma management and treatment outcomes among patients with asthma.

Objective: The present study aimed to examine the moderating role of psychological flexibility in the relationship between mental rumination and obsessive-compulsive disorder among university students.

Methodology: This applied study employed a descriptive-correlational design. The statistical population consisted of students of the Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, during 2025, from whom 268 participants were selected using convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Rumination Questionnaire developed by Nolen-Hoeksema and Morrow, the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R), and the Dennis and Vander Wal Cognitive Flexibility Questionnaire as an indicator of psychological flexibility. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients, structural equation modeling, and moderation analysis.

Findings: The results revealed a significant positive association between mental rumination and obsessive-compulsive disorder (r = 0.612, p < 0.001). Psychological flexibility showed a significant negative relationship with obsessive-compulsive disorder (r = -0.531, p < 0.001) and with mental rumination. Structural model analyses demonstrated that rumination positively predicted OCD symptoms (β = 0.56, p = 0.001), whereas psychological flexibility negatively predicted OCD symptoms (β = -0.48, p = 0.001). Furthermore, moderation analyses indicated that psychological flexibility significantly moderated the relationship between rumination and OCD. Specifically, rumination strongly predicted OCD symptoms among individuals with low psychological flexibility (β = 0.63, p = 0.001), whereas this relationship was not significant among those with high psychological flexibility (β = 0.09, p = 0.13). Collectively, the predictors explained 31% of the variance in OCD symptoms.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that mental rumination is an important cognitive vulnerability factor associated with increased obsessive-compulsive symptoms, whereas psychological flexibility functions as a protective factor. Higher levels of psychological flexibility appear to buffer the detrimental impact of rumination on OCD symptoms. Therefore, interventions aimed at enhancing psychological flexibility may contribute to reducing obsessive-compulsive symptoms and improving overall psychological well-being.

Objective: The present study aimed to develop a structural model for predicting asthma symptom control based on self-compassion with the mediating role of emotion regulation in patients with asthma.

Methods and Materials: This descriptive–correlational study using path analysis was conducted on 153 patients with asthma who attended clinics and hospitals in Tehran in 2023. Participants were selected through purposive sampling. Data collection instruments included the Asthma Control Test (ACT), the Self-Compassion Scale, and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and path analysis through SPSS-24 and AMOS-24 software. Model fit was assessed using χ²/df, CFI, GFI, AGFI, and RMSEA indices.

Findings: The results demonstrated that self-compassion had a positive and significant relationship with asthma symptom control (β=0.486, p<0.001). Adaptive emotion regulation strategies positively predicted asthma symptom control (β=0.354, p<0.001), whereas maladaptive emotion regulation strategies negatively predicted symptom control (β=-0.188, p=0.002). The indirect effect of self-compassion on asthma symptom control through emotion regulation was also significant (β=0.065, p=0.041). Model fit indices indicated an acceptable fit between the proposed model and the collected data (χ²/df=1.69, CFI=0.987, GFI=0.993, AGFI=0.895, RMSEA=0.066). Moreover, the study variables explained 44% of the variance in asthma symptom control.

Conclusion: The findings indicated that self-compassion and emotion regulation play substantial roles in asthma symptom control, and emotion regulation—particularly maladaptive strategies—mediates the relationship between self-compassion and asthma symptom control. Therefore, incorporating psychological interventions aimed at enhancing self-compassion and improving adaptive emotion regulation strategies may contribute to better asthma management and treatment outcomes among patients with asthma.