The effectiveness of unified trans-diagnostic group therapy on the tendency towards substance use and self-harm in adolescent girls: The moderating role of maternal emotion regulation

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Psychology, Ar.C., Islamic Azad University, Arak, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of psychology, Faculty of humanities, Arak university, Arak, Iran.

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Ar.C., Islamic Azad University, Arak, Iran.

Abstract

Background and Aim: Adolescence is considered a critical period of development, characterized by sudden emotional, physical, and psychological changes. Especially adolescent girls eed in academic and professional pursuits who may experience higher levels of emotional distress related to academic and social challenges can be more prone to tendencies such as substance use and self-harm behaviors. In this regard, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of unified trans-diagnostic group therapy on the tendency towards substance use disorders and self-harm in adolescent girls: The moderating role of maternal emotion regulation.
Research Methodology: The research method was a quasi-experimental study with a multi-group pre-test-post-test design, control group, and two-month follow-up. The statistical population of the study included 10th and 11th grade adolescent girls in the work and knowledge branch of Arak art schools and their mothers in 2025. The sample size was considered to be 26 people in two groups (adolescent experimental group with mothers and control group) and 25 people in one group (adolescent education group), who were selected through purposive sampling. Research instruments included the Difficulty in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Addiction Tendency Questionnaire (TAQ), and Self-Injury Inventory (SHI). The unified trans-diagnostic therapy for the adolescent girl group included 12 60-minute intervention sessions and the mothers' group included 5 sessions in the 90-minute intervention, which were held in a group style and once a week. Multivariate and univariate analysis of covariance, repeated measures analysis of variance, and Bonferroni post hoc test were used to analyze the data.
Findings: The results indicated the effectiveness of group training based on unified trans-diagnostic therapy on tendency towards Substance and self-harm behaviors and the significant moderating role of mothers in emotion regulation (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Counselors and psychologists can use unified trans-diagnostic therapy to improve tendency towards Substance use and self-harm behaviors in adolescent girls, and in addition, they can also educate and intervene with parents.

Keywords

References

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Clinical Psychology Studies
Volume 16, Issue 61
December 2025
Pages 20-41

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