The Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy on Difficulties in Emotional Regulation and Cognitive Flexibility in Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy on difficulties in emotional regulation and cognitive flexibility in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. The research method was quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test with a control group. In this study, 30 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder syndrome were assigned to psychology clinics in Rasht in 2021 as a research sample in two experimental and control groups. Groups were assessed with questionnaires Padua obsessive-compulsive disorder by Sanavio (1988), Gratz & Roemer (2004) difficulties in emotional regulation, and Dennis & Vander Wal (2010) cognitive flexibility. After 10 sessions of 90 minutes of cognitive-behavioral therapy for the experimental group, participants again answered the research questionnaire. Findings showed that cognitive-behavioral therapy significantly reduces the difficulties in emotion regulation (rejection of emotional responses, difficulty in performing purposeful behavior, difficulty in controlling impulse, lack of emotional awareness, limited strategies, lack of Emotional state) and increased cognitive flexibility (P<0.001). Due to the problems that patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder have in emotional and cognitive dimensions, it is necessary to pay more attention to these cases in the treatment process.