THE EFFECTIVENESS OF METACOGNITIVE THERAPY ON SLEEP QUALITY AND AGGRESSION IN WOMEN WITH POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD)

Metacognitive therapy is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on correcting metacognitive beliefs that perpetuate states of worry, rumination, and attention fixation. This study was conducted to determine the impacts of metacognitive therapy on sleep quality and aggression in females with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The study utilized a semi-experimental approach with a pre-test-post-test design and follow-up with a control group. The statistical population consisted of all emotionally injured women referred to the Urmia Counseling Center in 2023. A sample size of 45 individuals was selected based on convenience sampling and inclusion criteria. They were randomly assigned to a therapeutic intervention group (15 individuals), a placebo group (15 individuals), and a control group (15 individuals). The intervention group received eight metacognitive therapy sessions, while the placebo group participated in the same number of social interaction sessions. The patients in the control group did not receive any intervention. They requested to complete the questionnaires immediately, one month, and again two months after the intervention. The research tools used to collect data were the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Questionnaire and Aggression Questionnaire.

The findings indicate that administering metacognitive therapy improved sleep quality and aggression during the post-test phase (p<0.05). Additionally, the results of the follow-up assessment conducted after one month revealed that the changes brought about by the treatment had stabilized.

The research findings provide useful information about using metacognitive therapy. Psychologists and psychiatrists can utilize this intervention to improve sleep quality and reduce aggression in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder.