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Volume 25, Issue 161 (7-2026)
Journal of Psychological Science 2026, 25(161): 1-20 |
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Gharehzad Azari M, Borjali A, Sodagar S, Kraskian Moujambari A, Mousavi ُ M. (2026). Comparing Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Emotion – Focused Therapy on Emotion Cognitive Regulation, in overweight Students With Perceived Stress. Journal of Psychological Science. 25(161), : 20 doi:10.66224/jps.25.161.20
URL: http://psychologicalscience.ir/article-1-3522-en.html
URL: http://psychologicalscience.ir/article-1-3522-en.html
Maryam Gharehzad Azari 
, Ahmad Borjali * , Sheida Sodagar , Adis Kraskian Moujambari , ُSeyedeh Maryam Mousavi
, Ahmad Borjali * , Sheida Sodagar , Adis Kraskian Moujambari , ُSeyedeh Maryam Mousavi
Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and educational sciences, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran(Corresponding Author) , borjali@atu.ac.ir
Abstract: (132 Views)
Background: Overweight among university students may be associated with difficulties in cognitive emotion regulation. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, by enhancing acceptance and psychological flexibility, and Emotion-Focused Therapy, by facilitating the processing and restructuring of emotional experiences, have the potential to improve cognitive emotion regulation. Given the limited comparative evidence in this area, comparing the effectiveness of these two approaches among university students with overweight appears warranted.
Aims: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Emotion-Focused Therapy in improving cognitive emotion regulation among overweight university students.
Methods: This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest–posttest design with a control group and a two-month follow-up and was conducted during 2022–2023. The statistical population comprised all overweight students at the Rasht Branch of Islamic Azad University. Of these, 45 students were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to three groups: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy based on the protocol developed by Hayes and Strosahl (2010), Emotion-Focused Therapy based on the protocol developed by Greenberg et al. (2010), and a control group, with 15 participants in each group. Data were collected at the pretest, posttest, and follow-up stages using the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire developed by Garnefski et al. (2001). The data were analyzed using mixed-design analysis of variance with repeated measures and the Bonferroni post hoc test in SPSS version 26.
Results: The results indicated significant group-by-time interaction effects for both the adaptive and maladaptive components of cognitive emotion regulation. The Bonferroni post hoc test showed that, compared with the control group, both Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Emotion-Focused Therapy significantly improved the components of cognitive emotion regulation, and these improvements were maintained at the two-month follow-up (p < .05). However, no significant difference was observed between the effectiveness of the two therapeutic approaches (p ≥ .05).
Conclusion: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Emotion-Focused Therapy can be considered effective and sustainable approaches for enhancing cognitive emotion regulation among overweight university students. Accordingly, psychologists and counselors may incorporate either approach into psychological programs for overweight management, depending on clients’ needs, therapists’ expertise, and the resources available at counseling centers.
Aims: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Emotion-Focused Therapy in improving cognitive emotion regulation among overweight university students.
Methods: This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest–posttest design with a control group and a two-month follow-up and was conducted during 2022–2023. The statistical population comprised all overweight students at the Rasht Branch of Islamic Azad University. Of these, 45 students were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to three groups: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy based on the protocol developed by Hayes and Strosahl (2010), Emotion-Focused Therapy based on the protocol developed by Greenberg et al. (2010), and a control group, with 15 participants in each group. Data were collected at the pretest, posttest, and follow-up stages using the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire developed by Garnefski et al. (2001). The data were analyzed using mixed-design analysis of variance with repeated measures and the Bonferroni post hoc test in SPSS version 26.
Results: The results indicated significant group-by-time interaction effects for both the adaptive and maladaptive components of cognitive emotion regulation. The Bonferroni post hoc test showed that, compared with the control group, both Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Emotion-Focused Therapy significantly improved the components of cognitive emotion regulation, and these improvements were maintained at the two-month follow-up (p < .05). However, no significant difference was observed between the effectiveness of the two therapeutic approaches (p ≥ .05).
Conclusion: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Emotion-Focused Therapy can be considered effective and sustainable approaches for enhancing cognitive emotion regulation among overweight university students. Accordingly, psychologists and counselors may incorporate either approach into psychological programs for overweight management, depending on clients’ needs, therapists’ expertise, and the resources available at counseling centers.
Article number: 20
Keywords: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy, Cognitive Emotion Regulation, Overweight
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2026/05/25 | Accepted: 2026/07/9 | Published: 2026/07/23
Received: 2026/05/25 | Accepted: 2026/07/9 | Published: 2026/07/23
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