The effectiveness of Lacanian analysis group therapy on empathy, social acceptance and social competence in adolescent girls in Tehran city: two months follow-up

The occurrence of significant changes in adolescence can affect empathy, acceptance and competence in adolescents. Therefore, psychoanalytic interventions are necessary for adolescent emotional and social adjustment.

The purpose of this study was to determine effectiveness of Lacanian analysis group therapy on empathy, social acceptance and social competence.

This study was a research design was quasi-experimental with pretest-posttest and control group with two-month follow-up. The population of this study included all the female students’ high school of Tehran city in year 2018-2019. In this study, 30 female students were considered as the sample size in two experimental groups (15 students) and control (15 students). The experimental group underwent 6 sessions Lacanian analysis group therapy 90 minutes and but control group received no intervention and remained in the waiting list. To collect data empathy scale Jolliffe and Farrington, social desirability scale of Marlowe‐ Crowne and social competence scale of Felner, Lease Phillips. Data analysis was performed using of covariance with SPSS 24.

The findings showed that Lacanian analysis group therapy had a significant effect on emotional empathy (F=6.29), cognitive empathy (F=4.41), acceptance (F=5.36), cognitive competence (F=18.47), behavioral (F=20.99), emotional (F=4.34), motivational (F=17.54) in post-test and after a two month follows up (P<0.05).

Results highlight the importance of Lacanian analysis group therapy for empathy, social acceptance and social competence in adolescent girls and providing new perspectives in clinical interventions. So pay attention to the effectiveness of analysis group therapy in counseling and psychotherapy of teen girls has a special significance.