The effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy on post-traumatic growth after the romantic breakup (Single Case)

Romantic relationships are the main source of happiness for many people and the normal part of life during adolescence and youth; As a result, the dissolution of this relationship may be a disturbing event. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy on post-traumatic growth after the termination of a romantic relationship in a single-experimental semi-experimental method. For this purpose, three female participants with the experience of breaking off the romantic relationship were selected by the available sampling method and underwent individual compassion-focused treatment during eight 90-minute sessions. Participants in the treatment phase answered the Post-Traumatic Development Inventory (PTGI), and in the pre-treatment phase, the Love Impact Questionnaire (LTI) and the MMPI-2RF questionnaire were interviewed clinically. Data were analyzed by visual mapping, baseline change index, and recovery percentage formula; As a result, the improvement rate in the post-intervention growth variable in the post-intervention and follow-up stages was 52% and 38% in the first participant, 40% and 40% in the second participant, and 18% and 41% in the third participant, respectively. Thus, the overall recovery rate for all three participants was 39%, which indicates moderate success in treatment; therefore, it can be concluded that a broken heart can heal and move towards a positive transformation, and compassion-focused therapy helps people to reach a stronger and more developed version of themselves after breaking off a romantic relationship. The results of this study have the potential to be used by psychologists and counselors