Effectiveness of Schema Therapy on Cognitive-Emotional Regulation, Distress Tolerance and Quality of Life in Women as Heads of Households

Objective: The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of schema therapy on cognitive-emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and quality of life in women as heads of households.Methods:  The present study employed a quasi-experimental design with pre-test-post-test and a control group. The sample consisted of ۳۰ women as heads of households with adolescent children in Ardabil city, selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to experimental (n=۱۵) and control (n=۱۵) groups. The experimental group received eight ۹۰-minute sessions of schema therapy (Young et al., ۲۰۰۳), while the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ-۱۸), the Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS), and Quality of Life Questionnaire (SF-۳۶). Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used for data analysis.Results: The results of the analysis of covariance showed that schema therapy significantly improved cognitive-emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and quality of life in women as heads of households (p < .۰۰۱). Effect sizes were strong for adaptive strategies (η² = .۷۶), maladaptive strategies (η² = .۷۷), distress tolerance (η² = .۷۱), and quality of life (η² = .۸۱).Conclusion: Schema therapy, by modifying maladaptive schemas and improving emotion regulation, increases distress tolerance and quality of life in women as heads of households. This brief and efficient method, if widely implemented in counseling and support centers, leads to positive individual and intergenerational outcomes.

کلیدواژه ها:

cognitive-emotional regulation ، distress tolerance ، quality of life ، Schema therapy ، women as heads of households