Determining the effectiveness of integrative acceptance and commitment-cognitive behavioral therapy and parent management training on the depression and anxiety of adolescent Boy with sexual abuse

Sexual abuse is one of the phenomena causing significant psychological problems for adolescents. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of integrative acceptance and commitment-cognitive behavioral therapy and parent management training on the depression and anxiety of adolescent boy with sexual abuse.

The research method was quasi-experimental, and research design was a three group design. 45 male adolescents were selected by purposive sampling method in Isfahan in 2018 and were randomly assigned to two experimental and one control group (each group 15 persons). Data were collected through depression and anxiety questionnaires at three time points before, after and two months later (follow up). The integrative acceptance and commitment-cognitive behavioral therapy and parent management training received treatment in 10 sessions. The data were analyzed through repeated measure analysis of variance and post-hoc Bonferroni test.

Results revealed that integrative acceptance and commitment-cognitive behavioral therapy reduces depression by 29% and anxiety by 11% in adolescent boys with sexual abuse (P <0.01). The results also indicated that parental management training had no significant effect on reducing depression and anxiety in adolescent boys with sexual abuse (P >0.05).

The findings of this study showed that integrative acceptance and commitment-cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the treatments which is effective in reducing the depression and anxiety of adolescent boy with sexual abuse. This reduction in depression and anxiety will increase the mental health of these teenagers.