Clinical Psychology

Effectiveness of Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Improving Self-Compassion Among Patients with Treatment-Resistant Depression

https://doi.org/10.61838/ijbmc.v13i2.1001
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Depression Treatment-Resistant Self-Compassion Depressive Disorder

Authors

  • Narges Hasani M.A. Student, Department of Clinical Psychology, Marv.C., Islamic Azad University, Marvdasht, Iran.
  • Ahmad Ravan
    ahmad.ravan@iaularestan.ac.ir
    Department of Clinical Psychology, Marv.C., Islamic Azad University, Marvdasht, Iran.
In Press
Quantitative Study(ies)

Objective: This study examined the effectiveness of brief cognitive behavioral therapy in improving self-compassion among patients with treatment-resistant depression.

Methods and Materials: This applied quasi-experimental study used a pretest–posttest control-group design. The statistical population included patients with treatment-resistant depression referred to hospitals and psychological clinics in Shiraz, Iran, during 2024–2025. Thirty-four eligible patients with major depressive disorder who showed no satisfactory response to at least two antidepressant classes after three months of treatment were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 17) and a control group (n = 17). The experimental group received eight 60-minute sessions of brief cognitive behavioral therapy based on Rad’s protocol, while the control group remained on a waitlist. Data were collected using the Self-Compassion Scale and analyzed with descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis of covariance in SPSS-26.

Findings: After controlling for pretest scores, brief cognitive behavioral therapy had a significant multivariate effect on self-compassion dimensions (Wilks’ Lambda = 0.035, F = 96.103, p < 0.001, η² = 0.665). The intervention significantly increased self-kindness (F = 75.753, p < 0.001, η² = 0.243), common humanity (F = 92.656, p < 0.001, η² = 0.381), and mindfulness (F = 133.924, p < 0.001, η² = 0.237). It also significantly reduced self-judgment (F = 54.425, p < 0.001, η² = 0.477), isolation (F = 43.236, p < 0.001, η² = 0.124), and over-identification (F = 34.086, p < 0.001, η² = 0.267).

Conclusion: Brief cognitive behavioral therapy significantly improved self-compassion and its adaptive and maladaptive dimensions in patients with treatment-resistant depression. This intervention may be considered a useful adjunctive psychological approach in clinical settings.