A comparison of the effectiveness of group reality therapy and positive psychotherapy on irrational beliefs and psychological hardiness in brilliant talent students

Irrational beliefs in brilliant talent students can influence their psychological hardiness and lead to adverse social and academic outcomes. The present study mainly aimed to compare the effectiveness of group reality therapy and positive psychotherapy in improving the irrational beliefs and psychological hardiness of male brilliant talent high school students in Shahrekord during 2017. The present experimental research, used pretest and posttest design including intervention and control groups. The study population included all the male gifted students in Shahrekord (N=276) who were first screened and then, 60 individuals were selected by convenience random sampling. Next, the individuals were assigned a number and then divided into two experimental groups (each containing 20 students) and one control group (including 20 students) using a random number table. Afterward, group reality therapy and positive psychotherapy interventions were performed within eight and ten weeks for the experimental groups, respectively. In addition, Jones Irrational Beliefs Test (IBT) and Kobasa’s Psychological Hardiness Scale were employed to data collection. Six months after post-test implementation, the students were followed up. Finally, the data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc test. The findings revealed that group reality therapy and positive psychotherapy led to a decrease in irrational beliefs while such therapies improved psychological hardiness in brilliant talent students (P < 0.001). Conversely, the results of the post-hoc test indicated no significant difference between the effects of group reality therapy and positive psychotherapy on irrational beliefs and psychological hardiness in brilliant talent students (P > 0.05). In general, group reality therapy and positive psychotherapy reduced irrational beliefs whereas they improved psychological hardiness of the brilliant talent students and therefore, these therapies can be used as effective interventions for the intended population.