The effectiveness of schema therapy on self-criticism and emotional self-regulation in depressed women

The aim of this study was the effectiveness of schema therapy on self-criticism and emotional self-regulation of depressed women. The research design was a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest with a control group. The statistical population of the present study was depressed women in the winter of 1399 in Tehran who had referred to one of the three counseling centers and psychological services, of which 30 people according to the interview structured based on the diagnostic and statistical guidelines of mental disorders. And scores above 11 in Beck Depression Inventory were selected by purposive sampling and were divided into two experimental groups (n = 15) and control group (n = 15). Beck Depression Inventory, Thompson and Zarov Self-Criticism Scale and Beaufort Emotional Self-Regulation Questionnaire were used to collect data. Data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance. The results showed that schema therapy has an effect on self-criticism and emotional self-regulation in women with depressive disorder and significantly reduces self-criticism and increases emotional self-regulation. Therefore, attention to schema therapy has an important role in reducing self-criticism and improving emotional self-regulation in women with depressive disorder.