Ethics code: IR.IAU.KHSH.REC.1403.257
Clinical trials code: 0009-0005-5354-3505
1- Islamic Azad University, Najafabad
2- Farhangian University, Isfahan
2- Farhangian University, Isfahan
Abstract: (17 Views)
Abstract
Background & Objective: With the advancement of medical science, attention to cosmetic surgeries in the present era has been paid attention to as one of the examples of intrusion into the body for beautification, and many people perform these operations on their bodies every year to achieve the desired beauty. It has been found that these surgeries are often unnecessary and are caused by psychological aspects. One of these important aspects related to the need for beauty in cosmetic surgery volunteers is body dysmorphic disorder. People with this disorder, if they have even a small abnormality, worry about it too much and for this reason they seek many cosmetic surgeries. The interesting point is that after surgery, the symptoms in these people not only do not improve but also intensify and in some cases, they experience depression and suicide afterwards. These consequences make it an important issue to pay attention to the mechanisms of reducing psychological problems that affect the tendency to cosmetic surgeries, especially in women with body dysmorphic disorder. One of the issues raised in this context is the inability to use emotion regulation strategies. Studies have shown that low levels of emotion regulation, which result from the inability to effectively deal with and manage emotions, play a role in the decision to undergo cosmetic surgery. Thus, providing psychological interventions to increase the ability to regulate emotions is an issue that requires the attention of researchers. It seems that mentalization therapy is an appropriate approach to improve emotional regulation. The goal of this therapy isn’t to create insight, but to improve mentalization, to obtain coherent representation, and to integrate mental states. A review of the research has shown that this therapy has a positive effect on adolescent emotional regulation. Acceptance and commitment therapy has also been considered in this context. Acceptance and commitment therapy, with the aim of increasing psychological flexibility, can help women manage emotions in an efficient manner in stressful situations and social pressures. Studies have shown that this therapeutic approach is effective in regulating the emotions of adolescents and also in helping the psychological well-being of cosmetic surgery applicants. Considering the research literature on the effectiveness of mentalization therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy in improving emotional regulation, and given the lack of empirical evidence of the effectiveness of these two approaches on women with body dysmorphic disorder who are cosmetic surgery applicants, it is necessary to determine the effectiveness of each of the two treatments in this field, in order to save time and money for therapists and clients, and to identify the most appropriate treatment. Therefore, this study attempts to answer the question of whether there is a difference between the effectiveness of mentalization therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy on the emotional regulation of women with body dysmorphic disorder who are cosmetic surgery applicants?
Methods: The research method was quasi-experimental. The statistical population was female applicants with body dysmorphic disorder who referred to specialized beauty centers in Isfahan in 2023. From the aforementioned population, 54 women were selected purposively and randomly divided into two experimental and control groups, and a pre-test was administered. The research instruments were the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire by John and Gross (2004) and the modified Yale-Brown Scale for Body Dysmorphic Disorder by Phillips et al. (1997). In the next stage, the first experimental group underwent mentalization therapy and the second experimental group underwent acceptance and commitment therapy in the form of 20 45-minute sessions, twice a week. The control group didn’t receive any intervention during this period. After completing the sessions and also three months after implementing the interventions, the research groups were re-evaluated. The results were analyzed with repeated-measures analysis of variance and SPSS26.
Results: In the post-test and follow-up, there is no difference between the two experimental groups in the reappraisal (eta=0.340); but there is a difference between the two experimental groups and the control group (P<0.05). However, in the suppression (eta=0.273), there is a difference between the two experimental groups and the acceptance and commitment treatment group and the control group (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Professionals can utilize both mentalizing therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy to improve emotion regulation, with acceptance and commitment therapy being preferred.
Keywords: Body dysmorphic disorder, mentalizing therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, emotion regulation.
Background & Objective: With the advancement of medical science, attention to cosmetic surgeries in the present era has been paid attention to as one of the examples of intrusion into the body for beautification, and many people perform these operations on their bodies every year to achieve the desired beauty. It has been found that these surgeries are often unnecessary and are caused by psychological aspects. One of these important aspects related to the need for beauty in cosmetic surgery volunteers is body dysmorphic disorder. People with this disorder, if they have even a small abnormality, worry about it too much and for this reason they seek many cosmetic surgeries. The interesting point is that after surgery, the symptoms in these people not only do not improve but also intensify and in some cases, they experience depression and suicide afterwards. These consequences make it an important issue to pay attention to the mechanisms of reducing psychological problems that affect the tendency to cosmetic surgeries, especially in women with body dysmorphic disorder. One of the issues raised in this context is the inability to use emotion regulation strategies. Studies have shown that low levels of emotion regulation, which result from the inability to effectively deal with and manage emotions, play a role in the decision to undergo cosmetic surgery. Thus, providing psychological interventions to increase the ability to regulate emotions is an issue that requires the attention of researchers. It seems that mentalization therapy is an appropriate approach to improve emotional regulation. The goal of this therapy isn’t to create insight, but to improve mentalization, to obtain coherent representation, and to integrate mental states. A review of the research has shown that this therapy has a positive effect on adolescent emotional regulation. Acceptance and commitment therapy has also been considered in this context. Acceptance and commitment therapy, with the aim of increasing psychological flexibility, can help women manage emotions in an efficient manner in stressful situations and social pressures. Studies have shown that this therapeutic approach is effective in regulating the emotions of adolescents and also in helping the psychological well-being of cosmetic surgery applicants. Considering the research literature on the effectiveness of mentalization therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy in improving emotional regulation, and given the lack of empirical evidence of the effectiveness of these two approaches on women with body dysmorphic disorder who are cosmetic surgery applicants, it is necessary to determine the effectiveness of each of the two treatments in this field, in order to save time and money for therapists and clients, and to identify the most appropriate treatment. Therefore, this study attempts to answer the question of whether there is a difference between the effectiveness of mentalization therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy on the emotional regulation of women with body dysmorphic disorder who are cosmetic surgery applicants?
Methods: The research method was quasi-experimental. The statistical population was female applicants with body dysmorphic disorder who referred to specialized beauty centers in Isfahan in 2023. From the aforementioned population, 54 women were selected purposively and randomly divided into two experimental and control groups, and a pre-test was administered. The research instruments were the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire by John and Gross (2004) and the modified Yale-Brown Scale for Body Dysmorphic Disorder by Phillips et al. (1997). In the next stage, the first experimental group underwent mentalization therapy and the second experimental group underwent acceptance and commitment therapy in the form of 20 45-minute sessions, twice a week. The control group didn’t receive any intervention during this period. After completing the sessions and also three months after implementing the interventions, the research groups were re-evaluated. The results were analyzed with repeated-measures analysis of variance and SPSS26.
Results: In the post-test and follow-up, there is no difference between the two experimental groups in the reappraisal (eta=0.340); but there is a difference between the two experimental groups and the control group (P<0.05). However, in the suppression (eta=0.273), there is a difference between the two experimental groups and the acceptance and commitment treatment group and the control group (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Professionals can utilize both mentalizing therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy to improve emotion regulation, with acceptance and commitment therapy being preferred.
Keywords: Body dysmorphic disorder, mentalizing therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, emotion regulation.
Keywords: Body dysmorphic disorder, mentalizing therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, emotion regulation.
Type of Study: Original Research Article |
Subject:
Psychology
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