The effectiveness of self-compassion therapy on cognitive emotion regulation strategies and anxiety sensitivity in female nurses

Nurses as a powerful arm of the health care system play an important role in the evolution and progress of care, treatment, improvement, and promotion of the system. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of self-compassion-based therapy on cognitive emotion regulation strategies and anxiety sensitivity in female nurses.

In a quasi-experimental design, with pre-test-post-test with a control group, 30 female nurses working in the psychiatric ward working in hospitals (Imam Hossein (AS) and Bouali Hospital) in Tehran in 2019 to Targeted forms were selected and randomly assigned to two equal groups of 15 individuals. The experimental group then underwent compassion-focused treatment for 8 sessions and the control group did not receive any intervention. Participants completed the Anxiety Sensitivity Questionnaire and the Emotion Regulation Strategies Questionnaire in three baseline stages, after a two-month test and follow-up. Data were analyzed using univariate one-way analysis of variance and repeated measures with SPSS21 software.

The results of the analysis showed that the scores of the experimental group decreased compared to the control group in the anxiety sensitivity variable (the greatest decrease in the fear component of physical anxiety). There was also a significant difference in improving emotional regulation the follow-up stage of this difference is maintained (P <0.01).

It can be concluded that self-compassionate therapy due to its high efficiency, especially when it is held in groups, cheapness, and acceptance by nurses is an effective strategy to help people exposed to anxiety sensitivity and improved emotion regulation strategies.