The Effectiveness of Compassion-Focused Therapy on Intolerance of Uncertainty, Social Competence, and Hope for Life in Maltreated Adolescents
Keywords:
Compassion, Focused Therapy, hope for life, intolerance of uncertainty, maltreated adolescents, social competenceAbstract
Objective: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) on intolerance of uncertainty, social competence, and hope for life among maltreated adolescents.
Methods and Materials: This study employed a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with a control group. The study population consisted of maltreated adolescents receiving services from Welfare Organization centers in Kermanshah Province, Iran. Thirty adolescents aged 13–18 years were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). The experimental group received eight 90-minute group sessions of Compassion-Focused Therapy over one month, with two sessions per week, whereas the control group received no psychological intervention during the study period. Data were collected using the Snyder Hope Scale, the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, and the Felner Social Competence Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and univariate analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) in SPSS version 27.
Findings: MANCOVA revealed a statistically significant overall group effect on the combined dependent variables after controlling for pretest scores (Wilks’ λ = 0.42, F(2,25) = 20.67, p = 0.003, η² = 0.69). Univariate analyses further indicated significant improvements in tolerance of uncertainty (F = 31.27, p = 0.003, η² = 0.79), social competence (F = 13.54, p = 0.013, η² = 0.17), and hope for life (F = 6.09, p = 0.019, η² = 0.27) in the experimental group compared with the control group.
Conclusion: Compassion-Focused Therapy may enhance maltreated adolescents’ capacity to tolerate uncertainty, function more effectively in social relationships, and maintain a more hopeful orientation toward the future. By strengthening emotional regulation, perceived safety, and compassionate responses toward the self, CFT may provide a potentially useful psychological intervention within supportive and rehabilitative programs for maltreated adolescents.
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