Comparison of the Effectiveness of Group Schema Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Relationship Beliefs and Resilience in Individuals Seeking Divorce

https://doi.org/10.61838/ijbmc.v12i4.941
Group schema therapy mindfulness-based stress reduction relationship beliefs resilience divorce

Authors

  • Bahareh Hasanpour Asil Ph.D. student of General Psychology, Department of Psychology, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran. , Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • Mohammadreza Zarbakhsh Bahri
    rzarbakhsh@yahoo.com
    Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran., Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • Taherehi HamzehPoor Haghigh Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Lahijan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Lahijan, Iran. , Iran, Islamic Republic of
Vol. 12 No. 4 (2025): July
Quantitative Study(ies)
March 22, 2025
May 11, 2025

Objective: Divorce poses significant emotional and psychological challenges, often exacerbated by irrational relationship beliefs and low resilience. Psychological interventions such as schema therapy and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) have shown promise in addressing these issues, yet comparative evidence remains limited. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of group schema therapy and MBSR in improving relationship beliefs and resilience among individuals undergoing divorce proceedings.

Methods and Materials: A quasi-experimental design was employed with pre-test, post-test, control group, and a three-month follow-up. Sixty individuals seeking divorce were selected via convenience sampling and randomly assigned to three groups: schema therapy (n=20), MBSR (n=20), and control (n=20). Participants completed the Relationship Beliefs Inventory (Eidelson & Epstein, 1982) and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (2003) at all three time points. The interventions were delivered in eight weekly 90-minute group sessions. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and Scheffé post hoc tests.

Findings: Both schema therapy and MBSR led to significant improvements in relationship beliefs and resilience compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Schema therapy was significantly more effective than MBSR in reducing dysfunctional relationship beliefs (MD = 7.65, p = 0.035), while no significant difference was found between the two interventions in improving resilience (MD = 2.97, p > 0.05).

Conclusion: The findings indicate that group schema therapy and MBSR are effective interventions for individuals navigating divorce. Schema therapy, in particular, appears more potent in modifying irrational relationship beliefs. These results have practical implications for clinicians working with distressed individuals to improve emotional regulation, interpersonal functioning, and adaptive coping during marital transitions.