Psychosomatic Medicine and Somatic Symptom Disorders Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Counseling

The Effectiveness of Compassion-Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Among Women with Somatic Symptoms

https://doi.org/10.61838/ijbmc.v13i8.559
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Compassion-Focused Therapy Emotion Regulation Somatic Symptoms Women

Authors

  • Azar Asadnezhad Department of Psychology, Kho.C., Islamic Azad University, Khomeinishahr, Iran.
  • Bita Hashemi Hashjin
    hashemi@iaukhsh.ac.ir
    Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Kho.C., Islamic Azad University, Khomeinishahr, Iran.
In Press
Quantitative Study(ies)

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of compassion-focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on difficulties in emotion regulation among women with somatic symptoms in Isfahan.

Methods: A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest control group design was used. The statistical population included women over 18 years of age with recurrent somatic complaints without sufficient medical explanation who referred to counseling centers in Isfahan in 2025. Thirty eligible women were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). The experimental group received compassion-focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in 10 weekly 90-minute sessions, while the control group received no psychological intervention. Difficulties in emotion regulation were measured using the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance in SPSS version 27.

Results: The mean total score of difficulties in emotion regulation in the experimental group decreased from 100.15 ± 14.13 at pretest to 72.58 ± 15.16 at posttest, while the control group showed almost no change from 98.55 ± 12.25 to 98.71 ± 14.74. ANCOVA showed a significant intervention effect on total difficulties in emotion regulation, F = 5.25, p < .05, η² = .235. The intervention also significantly reduced all components of emotion regulation difficulties, including nonacceptance of emotional responses, difficulties engaging in goal-directed behavior, impulse control difficulties, lack of emotional awareness, limited access to emotion regulation strategies, and lack of emotional clarity.

Conclusion: Compassion-focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy was effective in reducing difficulties in emotion regulation among women with somatic symptoms and may be used as a useful psychological intervention in clinical and counseling settings.