The Efficacy of Schema Therapy on Self-Compassion and Cognitive Distortions in Adolescents Affected by Romantic Breakup

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate whether a group‑based schema therapy program is effective in improving self‑compassion and reducing cognitive distortions among adolescents who have experienced a recent romantic breakup.Methods: In ۲۰۲۵, thirty male adolescents from District ۱ of Tehran who had recently undergone a romantic breakup were recruited using purposive sampling and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = ۱۵) and a control group (n = ۱۵). All participants completed the Self‑Compassion Scale (SCS), the Cognitive Distortion Questionnaire (CDQ), and the Ross Love Trauma Questionnaire (RLTQ) at pretest and posttest. The experimental group received ten weekly ۹۰‑minute sessions of schema therapy based on Young et al. (۲۰۰۳), while the control group received no intervention during the study period. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS ۲۷ with a significance level of p < ۰.۰۵.Results: After controlling for pretest scores, schema therapy led to significantly higher self‑compassion (F = ۱۰.۹۳۳, p = ۰.۰۰۳) and significantly lower cognitive distortions (F = ۹.۹۷۶, p = ۰.۰۰۴) compared with the control group, with effect sizes indicating that ۲۸.۸% and ۲۷.۰% of the variance in these outcomes, respectively, were attributable to the intervention.Conclusion: The findings suggest that schema therapy is an effective intervention for enhancing self‑compassion and reducing cognitive distortions in male adolescents following romantic breakup. Further research with larger and more diverse samples is warranted

کلیدواژه ها:

Schema therapy ، self-compassion ، Cognitive distortions ، Romantic Breakup