The Effectiveness of Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) on Improving Self-Esteem and Reducing Shame in Women with Social Anxiety
Keywords:
ompassion-Focused Therapy, Self-esteem, Feelings of Shame, Social Anxiety, WomenAbstract
The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) in improving self-esteem and reducing feelings of shame among women with social anxiety. The research method was quasi-experimental with a pretest–posttest design and a control group. The statistical population consisted of women presenting symptoms of social anxiety, and 40 participants who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group participated in eight 60-minute sessions of Compassion-Focused Therapy, while the control group received no intervention during this period. The research instruments included the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Connor et al. Social Anxiety Questionnaire, and the State Shame and Guilt Scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and analysis of covariance in SPSS version 24. The findings indicated that Compassion-Focused Therapy significantly reduced feelings of shame, significantly decreased social anxiety, and significantly increased self-esteem in the experimental group compared to the control group. The effect sizes for shame, social anxiety, and self-esteem were reported as 0.39, 0.40, and 0.37, respectively. Accordingly, Compassion-Focused Therapy may play an effective role in improving the psychological components of women with social anxiety through reducing self-criticism, strengthening self-compassion, and enhancing emotional acceptance.
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