Comparison of the Effectiveness of Emotion-Focused Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Perceived Social Rejection, Social Acceptance, and Emotion Regulation in Divorced Women in Tehran

Abstract

Introduction and Aim: The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on perceived social rejection, social acceptance, and emotion regulation among divorced women in Tehran.

Methodology: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with pretest, posttest, and a two-month follow-up, including two experimental groups and one control group. The statistical population consisted of divorced women attending counseling centers in Tehran. A total of 60 participants were selected using convenience sampling and randomly assigned to EFT, ACT, and control groups. Interventions were conducted in 10 weekly group sessions lasting 90 minutes each. Data were collected using standardized questionnaires of perceived social rejection, social acceptance, and emotion regulation at three time points and analyzed using repeated-measures multivariate analysis of variance in SPSS-23.

Findings: The results revealed significant effects of time, group, and time × group interaction on the study variables (p < 0.001). Both interventions significantly reduced perceived social rejection and increased social acceptance and emotion regulation compared to the control group, with effects maintained at follow-up. EFT was more effective than ACT in reducing perceived social rejection and enhancing social acceptance, whereas ACT demonstrated greater effectiveness in improving emotion regulation.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that both EFT and ACT are effective and sustainable interventions for improving psychological outcomes in divorced women; however, differences in their effectiveness patterns highlight the importance of selecting therapeutic approaches based on the predominant psychological difficulties of clients.