Comparison of the effectiveness of compassion-based mindfulness training and self-treatment training on cognitive distortion and self-compassion in adolescent girls with anxiety symptoms

Sarfarazi, Elahe; JafarTabatabaei, ToktamSadat; JafarTabatabaei, SamanehSadat; Shahabizadeh, Fatemeh

Volume 13, Issue 3 (9-2025) jmsthums 2025, 13(3): 1-11 | Back to browse issues page

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Sarfarazi E, JafarTabatabaei T, JafarTabatabaei S, Shahabizadeh F. Comparison of the effectiveness of compassion-based mindfulness training and self-treatment training on cognitive distortion and self-compassion in adolescent girls with anxiety symptoms. jmsthums 2025; 13 (3) :1-11
URL: http://jms.thums.ac.ir/article-1-1359-en.html

Comparison of the effectiveness of compassion-based mindfulness training and self-treatment training on cognitive distortion and self-compassion in adolescent girls with anxiety symptoms

Elahe Sarfarazi¹

, ToktamSadat JafarTabatabaei¹

, SamanehSadat JafarTabatabaei¹

, Fatemeh Shahabizadeh¹

1- Department of Psychology, Birjand Branch, Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Iran

Abstract: (18 Views)

Background & Aim: Adolescent girls suffering from anxiety face various psychological problems; therefore, they require specific and effective interventions. The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of compassion-based mindfulness training and self-treatment training on cognitive distortion and self-compassion in adolescent girls with anxiety symptoms.
Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with three groups and a pretest-posttest-follow-up plan. Among adolescent girls with anxiety symptoms in Torbat Jam city, 45 participants were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to three groups. Data were collected using Neff’s Self-Compassion Scale (2003) and Ellis’s Cognitive Distortion Questionnaire (1998). The first experimental group received compassion-based mindfulness training, and the second experimental group received self-treatment training during eight 90-minute sessions. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA in SPSS version 26, with a significance level of 0.05.
Results: The results showed that both compassion-based mindfulness and self-treatment training significantly reduced cognitive distortions and improved self-compassion among adolescent girls with anxiety symptoms, and these effects remained stable over time (p ≤ 0.05). The follow-up test indicated a significant difference between the two approaches in improving self-compassion (p ≤ 0.05), with the self-treatment approach being more effective.
Conclusion: Both compassion-based mindfulness and self-treatment training are effective in enhancing self-compassion and reducing cognitive distortions; however, self-treatment training demonstrated greater effectiveness.

Keywords: Anxiety, Cognitive distortion, Self-treatment, Self-compassion, Compassion-based mindfulness

Full-Text [PDF 329 kb] (39 Downloads)

Type of Study: Research | Subject: Special
Received: 2024/11/10 | Accepted: 2025/05/18 | Published: 2025/11/17

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