Comparison of the Effectiveness of Group Emotion-Focused Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Guilt and Shame Among Mothers of Children with Intellectual Disabilities

Abstract

This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of group emotion-focused therapy (EFT) and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) in reducing guilt and shame among mothers of children with intellectual disabilities. This applied study employed a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with a two-month follow-up and a control group. The study population consisted of mothers of educable children with intellectual disabilities covered by the Welfare Organization in Torbat-e Heydarieh. Forty-five eligible mothers were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to three groups of 15 participants: EFT, MBSR, and control. The experimental groups received their respective interventions in eight 90-minute sessions, whereas the control group received no intervention. Data were collected at pretest, posttest, and follow-up using Cook’s Internalized Shame Scale and the Kugler and Jones Guilt Inventory. The data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance, followed by pairwise comparisons. A significant between-group difference was found for guilt (F(2,42)=8.14, p=.001, partial η²=.279). Pairwise comparisons indicated significantly lower guilt in the MBSR group than in the control group (p=.001), whereas the difference between MBSR and EFT was not statistically significant. A significant between-group effect was also observed for shame (F(2,42)=4.40, p=.018, partial η²=.173). Participants receiving MBSR reported significantly lower shame than those in the control group (p=.016); however, the direct difference between MBSR and EFT was not significant. Furthermore, the group-by-time interaction for total guilt did not reach statistical significance (p=.056), indicating no statistically reliable difference between the groups in their overall pattern of change across measurement occasions. MBSR was effective in reducing guilt and shame compared with no intervention among mothers of children with intellectual disabilities; nevertheless, no statistically significant superiority of MBSR over EFT was demonstrated. Accordingly, both interventions may be considered clinically applicable, with treatment selection guided by individual needs and therapeutic characteristics.