The Effectiveness of Group Counseling Based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Body Image and Self-Esteem of Female University Students

The aim of the current study was the determination of the effectiveness of group counseling based on the treatment of acceptance and commitment on the body image and self-esteem of female students.

Method was quasi-experimental with pretest-posttest and follow-up with a control group. Statistical population include female students of Kharazmi University. Using convenient sampling method, 24 people were selected from them and randomly assigned to two experimental (n = 12) and control (n = 12) groups. The number of members in the experimental group was reduced to 8, and therefore 8 people were included in both groups. The research instruments were the Self-Esteem Scale Questionnaire (Rosenberg, 1965) and the Multidimensional Questionnaire on Relationships with the Body (Cash, 2000). The experimental group received acceptance and commitment therapy-based group counseling for 15 sessions. The duration of each session was 2 hours. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA.

The results showed that there was a significant difference between the experimental and control group in terms of body image. There was also a significant difference in self-esteem between the two groups. These results were also consistent at the follow-up stage.

It can be said that group counseling based on acceptance and commitment therapy improves girls 'self-image and self-esteem and can be used to improve problems related to girls' self-image and self-respect.