The efficacy of reality therapy on differentiation and distress tolerance of mothers of intellectual disabilitie children

Studies suggest the positive effects of reality therapy on mood and emotional disorders. It teaches people to be aware of their basic needs and emphasizes coping with reality, responsibility, and evaluation of right and wrong behaviors. However, there is a research gap in the application of this approach to focusing and controlling their relationships and identifying and changing cognitive distortions and stress in the research community.

This study aimed to determine the efficacy of reality therapy on differentiation and distress tolerance of mothers of intellectually disabled children.

Based on a quasi-experimental design, pre-test and post-test with a control group, 30 persons of all mothers of children with intellectual disabilities (trainable) in exceptional primary schools in District 4 of Tehran in the academic year of 2019-20 were chosen as sample using a convenience non-random sampling method based on inclusion and exclusion criteria and were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The experimental group participated in reality therapy intervention sessions, while the control group did not receive any intervention. Data collection tools were Skorn and Smith questionnaires and Simmons and Gaher's (2005) distress tolerance scale. Analysis of covariance was used to analyze the data.

There was a significant difference between the two groups in differentiation and distress tolerance (P<0.0001). A comparison of means in the two groups of intervention and control showed that reality therapy increased differentiation and decreased distress tolerance.

Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that reality therapy helps people acquire successful identity and increase differentiation and distress tolerance of mothers with disabled children by using techniques such as familiarity with one's responsibilities, helping to accept and increase responsibility, also reducing the importance of the past in the present behavior, and emphasizing the inner control.