Effectiveness of Existential Consciousness Group Therapy on Social Rejection, Social Adjustment, Social Sufficiency and Cognitive avoidance in Elderly with Empty Nest Syndrome

Elderly is thought to be a transition from a life stage to a new one and empty nest syndrome seems to be one prevalent phenomenon in this period. It is essential to identify effective interventions to treat this syndrome. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the objective of the effectiveness of existential consciousness group therapy on social rejection, social adjustment, social sufficiency, and cognitive avoidance in the elderly with empty nest syndrome.
 
 
The present study was a quasi-experimental of pretest-posttest and control group design with a follow-up period. The statistical population included all the elderly with empty nest syndrome living in elderly care centers in Tehran, Iran, in 2022. Among whom, 30 were selected using convenience sampling and, according to the inclusion criteria, assigned into experimental and control groups equally (15 people in each group). The experimental group underwent 10 sessions of 90-minute existential consciousness therapy (shariatmadar,1393). Data collection tools were the Penhaligon Perceived Rejection Scale (2009), Bell Adjustment Scale (1961), Fellner, Lees& Phillips Social Sufficiency scale (1990), and Sexton and Dougas Cognitive Avoidance Questionnaire (2008). The data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANCOVA).
The results showed that existential consciousness group therapy reduced the feeling of social rejection (F=4/187, P<0/05), cognitive avoidance (F=2/395, P<0/05), and increased social competence (F=2/395, P<0/05) in the elderly with empty nest syndrome, but it had no significant effect on the subjects' social adjustment (F=0/0337, P<0.05).
According to the results, in designing programs related to promoting health in the elderly with empty nest syndrome, existential consciousness therapy can be used as an effective intervention for improving social rejection, social sufficiency, and cognitive avoidance.