Comparison of the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy with behavioral activation therapy on learned helplessness and cognitive emotion regulation in individuals with depressive symptoms

Depression is one of the most important psychological problems in society that reduces their health. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy with behavioral activation therapy on learned helplessness and cognitive emotion regulation in individuals with depressive symptoms.

The present study was a quasi-experimental pretest and posttest with two experimental groups and a control group. The statistical population of the study included all people with depression in Babol who referred to psychotherapy clinics in 2021. Forty-five subjects who scored above-average on the Beck Depression Inventory were randomly selected and randomly assigned to three groups of 15 responding to the Garnfsky Emotion Cognitive Regulation and Queens and Nelson Learned Helplessness Questionnaire. Analysis of covariance and Benferoni test using SPSS-23 software were used to analyze the results.  

The results showed that there was no significant difference between the effect of two methods of behavioral methodology and behavioral activation on learned helplessness (P<0.277) and cognitive emotion regulation (P<0.188). Similarly, they affect learned helplessness and cognitive emotion regulation (P<0.001).

cognitive-behavioral therapy and behavioral activation therapy can be used to reduce learned helplessness and emotion regulation in patients with depression.