Effectiveness of Group Schema Therapy on Mental Pain and Distress Tolerance in Women with Suicidal Ideation Attending Psychology Clinics in Tonekabon
Keywords:
Group schema therapy, mental pain, distress tolerance, suicidal thoughts, womenAbstract
This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of group schema therapy on mental pain and distress tolerance in women with suicidal ideation attending psychology clinics in Tonekabon. This study employed a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of women with suicidal ideation attending psychology clinics in Tonekabon in 2026. Thirty eligible women were selected through convenience sampling combined with purposive screening and were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups, with 15 participants in each group. The experimental group received group schema therapy in ten 90-minute sessions, whereas the control group received no intervention during the study period. Data were collected using the Orbach Mental Pain Scale and the Simons and Gaher Distress Tolerance Scale. Data analysis was conducted using multivariate analysis of covariance and univariate analysis of covariance in SPSS version 27. The multivariate analysis of covariance, after controlling for pretest scores, demonstrated a significant group effect on the combined dependent variables of mental pain and distress tolerance (Pillai’s Trace=0.772, F(2,25)=42.248, p<0.001, η²=0.772). Follow-up analyses further indicated that group schema therapy significantly reduced mental pain and significantly increased distress tolerance in the experimental group compared with the control group. Thus, the study hypothesis regarding the effectiveness of group schema therapy on the investigated psychological outcomes was supported. Group schema therapy appears to be an effective psychological intervention for reducing mental pain and enhancing distress tolerance among women experiencing suicidal ideation. By modifying early maladaptive schemas, strengthening the healthy adult mode, reducing dysfunctional coping patterns, and improving the capacity to experience and regulate negative emotions, this intervention may reduce psychological suffering and promote more adaptive responses to emotional distress. Accordingly, group schema therapy may be considered a useful complementary intervention in psychological and counseling settings serving individuals with suicidal ideation.
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