Comparison of the Effectiveness of Group Counseling Using Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Self-Compassion in Mothers
Mahmoud Fatahi, Asadollah Vaisi, Omid Moradi
Psychology of Woman Journal 2024 DOI: 10.61838/kman.pwj.5.3.16 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental study with a control group, pre-test and post-test design Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 36 |
| Population | Mothers of educable exceptional students |
| Interventions | Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) |
| Duration | 5-month follow-up period |
| Measures | Self-Compassion Scale (Neff, 2003) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Both Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy increased self-compassion in mothers of educable children compared with a control group, with ACT showing a larger effect (59.6% of the improvement) than MBCT (27.9%). The authors conclude that both interventions can enhance psychological well-being in this population. |
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of group counseling using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) on self-compassion among mothers of educable children. Methods and Materials: This research was a quasi-experimental study with a control group, utilizing a pre-test and post-test design with a control group and a 5-month follow-up period. The sampling method was simple random sampling. The statistical population consisted of 407 mothers of educable exceptional students, from which 36 participants were selected using random numbers and divided into three groups. The Self-Compassion Scale (Neff, 2003) was used as the assessment tool. Data analysis was conducted using covariance analysis to compare the means. SPSS software (version 22) was used for data analysis.
Findings: The results showed that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy had an impact of 59.6% and 27.9%, respectively, on increasing self-compassion compared to the control group (F = 106.891, P < 0.001).
Conclusion: In conclusion, the study demonstrated that both Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) effectively increase self-compassion in mothers of educable children, with ACT showing a greater impact. These findings highlight the potential of ACT and MBCT as effective interventions for enhancing psychological well-being in this population.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Cancer patients (clinical intervention study) | 2003 | Mixed methods: scale development, correlational, quasi-experimental, laboratory, experience-sampling, and clinical intervention study | |
| Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. | 2008 | Controlled laboratory experiment | |
| Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. | 2012 | Two studies: correlational study and experimental study | |
| Mental Training Enhances Attentional Stability: Neural and Behavioral Evidence | 2009 | Experimental study | |
| Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Incarcerated population | 2006 | Quasi-experimental with treatment-as-usual control condition |