Effectiveness of Existential Group Therapy on Perceived Inadequacy in Adolescents with Neglectful or No Guardians in the Welfare Center of Zanjan City
Keywords:
existential group therapy, perceived inadequacy, adolescents with neglectful guardians, adolescents with no guardians, welfare center.Abstract
Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a group intervention based on the existential approach in reducing feelings of inadequacy in this vulnerable group.
Methods and Materials: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest control group. The statistical population included all adolescents aged 13 to 18 years with neglectful or no guardians under the supervision of welfare centers in Zanjan City in 2023. Among them, 30 participants who met the inclusion criteria were purposefully selected and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group participated in 10 ninety-minute sessions of existential group therapy, conducted once a week under the supervision of the researcher. During this period, the control group did not receive any therapeutic intervention. Data were collected using Self-Criticizing/Attacking & Self-Reassuring Scale (FSCRS) developed by Gilbert et al. (2004) administered in two stages: pretest and posttest. Data analysis was conducted using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) via SPSS-26.
Findings: Pretest scores were controlled as a covariate. The results indicated a significant difference between the two groups in posttest scores of perceived inadequacy (F(1, 27) = 22.335, p = .004). In the experimental group, the mean score of perceived inadequacy decreased from 3.52 in the pretest to 2.99 in the posttest, while in the control group no considerable reduction was observed (from 4.22 to 3.60). The obtained effect size (0.452) indicated a large impact of the intervention.
Conclusion: By providing a context for discovering meaning, accepting responsibility for choices, and confronting existential anxieties, this therapeutic approach fosters the enhancement of self-worth and competence among adolescents.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Zahra Deljouyi Sarkash (Author); Mohammad Ali Fardin (Corresponding Author); Sana Nouri Moghadam (Author)
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