Feresheh Reza, Javanshir Asadi, Arastoo Mirani, Afsaneh Khajevand Khoshli,
Volume 13, Issue 1 (Volume 13, Issue 1, Spring 2025 2025)
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of cognitive-behavioral therapy on reducing perfectionism and thought-action fusion in women with obsessive-compulsive disorder with a two-month follow-up. The research method was a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest-follow-up and control group. Among the women referring to Sarohana Clinic in Pasdaran district of Tehran, 30 were purposively selected and randomly assigned to two groups of 15 (cognitive-behavioral therapy and control). The research instruments included the Ahvaz Perfectionism Questionnaire, the Thought-Action Fusion Scale (TAFS), Spielberger's Overt and Covert Anxiety Questionnaire, and the Maudsley Checklist. The cognitive-behavioral therapy intervention was implemented in 8 weekly 90-minute group sessions. The post-test was conducted immediately and the follow-up was conducted two months after the end of the sessions. The data were analyzed by multivariate and univariate analysis of covariance. The findings showed that cognitive-behavioral therapy significantly reduced perfectionism, thought-action fusion (moral dimensions, possibility for self and others), and anxiety at post-test and two-month follow-up, and these effects remained stable until the follow-up stage. The present study showed that cognitive-behavioral therapy can be used as an effective and sustainable intervention in reducing harmful cognitive variables in women with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Hava Mahmoudzadeh Kenari, Dr Afsaneh Khajevand Khoshli, Dr Javanshir Asadi,
Volume 13, Issue 2 (Volume 13, Issue 2, September 2025 2025)
Abstract
Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) in adolescents is associated with maladaptive cognitive–emotional patterns, including thought–action fusion and intolerance of uncertainty, which can impair academic performance and interpersonal relationships. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of emotion-focused therapy and metacognitive therapy on these constructs in adolescent girls with OCD. The quasi-experimental study employed a pretest–posttest design with a control group and included 45 high school girls in Babolsar, selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to three groups of 15 participants each. Interventions consisted of eight weekly 90-minute group sessions. Data were collected using the Thought–Action Fusion Scale and the Intolerance of Uncertainty Questionnaire and analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). Results indicated that both interventions significantly reduced thought–action fusion and intolerance of uncertainty compared to the control group, and pairwise comparisons showed that metacognitive therapy was more effective in reducing thought–action fusion, whereas emotion-focused therapy was relatively more effective in reducing outcomes related to intolerance of uncertainty. These findings suggest that targeted psychotherapeutic interventions can improve maladaptive cognitive–emotional patterns associated with OCD in adolescents and reduce anxiety and compulsive behaviors. The results provide guidance for selecting tailored treatments based on individual clinical needs and for designing school- and clinic-based intervention programs.
