The effectiveness of time perspective therapy on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and social anxiety in early adolescent girls victimized by bullying

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD Student, Department of Family Counseling, Sa.C., Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj, lran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of literatures and Humanistic Sciences, Malayer University, Malayer, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Sa.C., Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj, lran

Abstract

The psychological consequences experienced by adolescent victims of bullying underscore the urgent need for effective therapeutic interventions to alleviate these adverse outcomes. The present study aimed to examine the efficacy of Time Perspective Therapy (TPT) on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and social anxiety in adolescent girls victimized by bullying. The research employed a quasi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test, and follow-up assessments with a control group. The study population comprised early adolescent girls who were victims of bullying residing in Kermanshah, Iran, during the 2023-2024 academic year. The sample consisted of 32 adolescent girls identified as victims of bullying based on the Adolescent Bullying Questionnaire, all of whom also met the inclusion criteria for clinically significant symptoms of PTSD and social anxiety disorder. Participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental (n = 16) or control group (n = 16). Data were collected using the Adolescent Bullying Scale, the Child PTSD Symptom Scale for DSM-5, and the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance. The results showed that TPT was effective in reducing PTSD symptoms and social anxiety symptoms in adolescent girls who were victims of bullying, and the therapeutic effects were sustained at follow-up for both variables and their dimensions. The findings highlight the potential clinical value of TPT as an intervention for bullied adolescents. Incorporating TPT into psychological and school counseling programs may contribute to improving mental health outcomes in this vulnerable population.

Keywords

References

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