The Effectiveness of Mentalization-Based Therapy on Emotional Self-Regulation and Self-Compassion in Adolescent Girls with Self-Harming Behaviors

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD student, Department of Psychology, Shi.C., Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Shi.C., Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran.

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Shi.C., Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran.

10.22038/mjms.2025.87380.4981

Abstract

The present study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of mentalization-based therapy on emotional self-regulation and self-compassion in adolescent girls with self-harming behaviors. The current study was a experimental application with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group and a two-month follow-up period. The statistical population of the present study consisted of adolescent girls with self-harming behaviors who referred to education counseling centers in Isfahan in the academic year 2023-2024. In this research, 36 adolescent girls with self-harming behaviors were selected by purposeful sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (18 adolescent in the experimental group and 18 adolescent in the control group). The adolescent in the experimental group received the mentalization-based therapy during eight weeks in eight 90-minute sessions. Self-Harm Behaviors Questionnaire (SHBQ), Emotional Self-Regulation Questionnaire (ESRQ) and Self-Compassion Questionnaire (SCQ) were used in the present study. The data were analyzed through mixed ANOVA via SPSS23 software. The results showed that mentalization-based therapy has significant effect on the emotional self-regulation (p<0.0001) and self-compassion (p<0.0001) in adolescent girls with self-harming behaviors. Based on the findings of the research, it can be concluded that the treatment based on mentalization can be used as an efficient method to increace emotional self-regulation and self-compassion in adolescent girls with self-harming behaviors by applying mentalization exercises through strengthening intimacy, trust, empathy and understanding in the group and family, practicing understanding the thoughts and feelings of oneself and others, recognizing and dealing with the symptoms of anxiety and depression.

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Medical Journal of Mashhad university of Medical Sciences

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 06 January 2026

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