Efficacy of a Short-Term Emotion-Focused Therapy Intervention for Self-Criticism Compared With a Cognitive-Behavioral Gold Standard: A Randomized Controlled Trial
试验速览
- 阶段
- 不适用
- 状态
- 已完成
- 发起方
- 入组人数
- 95
- 试验地点
- 1
- 主要终点
- Level of Self-Criticism
研究概览
简要总结
The goal of this clinical trial is to determine whether Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) is an effective approach in reducing self-criticism in adults. EFT will be compared with Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a well-established treatment shown to be effective for a wide range of mental health difficulties.
The main questions the study aims to answer are:
- Does EFT reduce self-criticism as effectively as CBT?
- How do EFT and CBT compare in their impact on other mental health symptoms?
Participants will:
- Receive a six-session, weekly online individual intervention (EFT or CBT), focused on reducing self-criticism.
- Complete regular questionnaires during the intervention and at follow-up periods to track changes in self-criticism and other mental health symptoms.
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Interventional
- 分配方式
- Randomized
- 干预模型
- Parallel
- 主要目的
- Treatment
- 盲法
- None
入排标准
- 年龄范围
- 18 Years 至 —（Adult, Older Adult）
- 性别
- All
- 接受健康志愿者
- 否
入选标准
- •age over 18 years old
- •Portuguese native speakers
- •elevated self-critical processes
- •perceived impact of the self-critical process on their daily functionality,
- •availability to work with self-critical processes.
排除标准
- •Since self-criticism is a transdiagnostic criteria for various mental disorders, the existence of a specific diagnosis is not in itself an exclusion criterion. However, participants will be excluded in case of
- •elevated dysfunctionality
- •high risk factors (such as suicide risk)
- •severe psychopathology, such as bipolar personality disorder, panic disorder, substance abuse, and personality disorders non adequate to a brief intervention previously identified.
- •changes in the therapeutic plan with psychotropic medication in the last month, if currently taking psychotropic medication
- •psychological treatment maintenance during the study implementation.
研究组 & 干预措施
Emotion Focused Therapy
Participants in this arm will receive a six-session, weekly, online individual Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) intervention targeting self-criticism. The core of the intervention is the two-chair dialogue, which helps participants identify and process self-critical thoughts and emotions, promote emotional transformation, and integrate different aspects of the self.
干预措施: Emotion Focused Therapy (Behavioral)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Participants in this arm will receive a six-session, weekly, online individual Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) intervention, focused on cognitive restructuring of self-critical thoughts. CBT is a well-established, gold-standard treatment for a broad range of mental health difficulties, and serves as an active comparator to evaluate the efficacy of the EFT intervention. The intervention helps participants identify maladaptive self-criticism, challenging underlying beliefs, and develop more adaptive thought patterns.
干预措施: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Behavioral)
结局指标
主要结局
Level of Self-Criticism
时间窗: T1) Baseline: Within 24 hours prior to Session 1. T2-T6) Pre-session assessment : Within 24 hours before each weekly session (i.e., before sessions 2-6). T7) Post-intervention: 1 week after Session 6. T8-T9) Follow-ups: 1 and 3 months after T7.
Measured using the Forms of Self-Criticizing/Attacking and Self-Reassuring Scale (FSCRS). The FSCRS provides separate scores for Inadequate Self, Hated Self, and Reassured Self. Scores range from 0 to 4, where higher scores indicate greater levels of the respective self-critical or self-reassuring tendencies. Reduction in the Inadequate Self and Hated Self subscales indicates improvement in self-criticism, while increases in Reassured Self indicate improvement in self-compassion.
次要结局
- Global Symptomatology(T1) Baseline: Within 24 hours prior to Session 1 T2-T6) Pre-session assessment: Within 24 hours before each weekly session (i.e., before sessions 2-6) T7) Post-intervention: 1 week after finalizing Session 6 T8-T9) Follow-ups: 1 and 3 months after T7)
- Mental Health Continuum - Short Form (MHC-SF):(T1) Baseline: Within 24 hours prior to Session 1. T6) Within 24 hours before Session 6. T7) Post-intervention: 1 week after finalizing Session 6. T8-T9) Follow-up assessments: 1 and 3 months after T7.)
- Depressive symptomatology(T1) Baseline: Within 24 hours prior to Session 1 T2-T6) Pre-session: Within 24 hours before each weekly session (i.e., before Sessions 2-6) T7) Post-intervention: 1 week after Session 6 is finalized T8-T9) Follow-up assessments: 1 and 3 months after T7)
- Anxiety Symptomatology(T1) Baseline: Within 24 hours prior to Session 1. T2-T6) Pre-session: Within 24 hours before each weekly session (i.e., before Sessions 2-6). T7) Post-intervention: 1 week after Session 6 is finalized. T8-T9) Follow-up: 1 and 3 months after T7.)
- Self-Esteem(T1) Baseline: Within 24 hours prior to Session 1. T2-T6) Pre-session assessment : Within 24 hours before each weekly session (i.e., before sessions 2-6). T7) Post-intervention: 1 week after Session 6. T8-T9) Follow-ups: 1 and 3 months after T7.)
- Affect(T1) Baseline: Within 24 hours prior to Session 1. T2-T6) Pre-session assessment : Within 24 hours before each weekly session (i.e., before sessions 2-6). T7) Post-intervention: 1 week after Session 6. T8-T9) Follow-ups: 1 and 3 months after T7.)
- Self-compassion(T1) Baseline: Within 24 hours prior to Session 1. T2-T6) Pre-session assessment : Within 24 hours before each weekly session (i.e., before sessions 2-6). T7) Post-intervention: 1 week after Session 6. T8-T9) Follow-ups: 1 and 3 months after T7.)
- Working alliance(T5) Only administered within 24 hours prior to Session 5.)
研究者
Catarina Teixeira
Doctoral Student
University of Maia