The Effectiveness of Group Dialectic Behavioral Therapy on Catastrophizing & Ruminations of mothers with Mental Retarded children

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy on Catastrophizing and mental rumination in mothers of mentally retarded children. Semi-experimental and two-way pre-test and post-test design were used to conduct the research. To this end, the community of mothers with mentally retarded children was selected in the 5th district of Tehran and 24 persons were recruited. After answering the research tools, they were randomly assigned into two experimental and control groups, while the experimental group Dialectic behavioral therapy interventions were received for 8 sessions of 1.5 hours, the control group did not receive any training. In this research, Garnsfaki, Greejeh and Spinhaven (2001) and Ruminative response scale (RRS) were used for collecting data. Finally, data were analyzed using covariance test. The results of post-test confirmed the significant reduction of the participants in the experimental group in ruminant and catastrophic components. Based on the findings of the study, dialectical behavior therapy had a significant positive effect on the reduction of catastrophizing and ruminating in mothers of mentally retarded children and can be used to improve the mental status of this group.

Keywords

• dialectic behavioral therapy
• catastrophe
• rumination
• mothers
• mental retarded children