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:: Volume 36, Issue 1 (Spring 2026) ::
MEDICAL SCIENCES 2026, 36(1): 46-55 Back to browse issues page
The effectiveness of group interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) on differentiation in mothers experiencing child mourning
Maryam Mirzaee1 , Amenehsadat Kazemi2 , Bita Bahrami3
1- Master of Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychology, TeMS.c, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2- Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, TeMS.c, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran , sadat.kazemi@yahoo.com
3- Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, TeMS.c, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract:   (571 Views)
Background: The experience of grief is one of the realities of life that every human being faces. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of group interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) on differentiation of self in mothers who have experienced child loss.
Materials and methods: This study was an applied, quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. The statistical population consisted of mothers who had experienced child mourning in Tehran during the first six months of 2023 (Iranian year 1402). A total of 30 participants were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n=15) or the control group (n=15). The experimental group received eight weekly 90-minute sessions of IPT intervention. Both groups completed the Differentiation of Self Inventory (DSI) at both pretest and posttest stages. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation), and inferential statistics (multivariate analysis of covariance).
Results: Group interpersonal psychotherapy had a statistically significant effect on overall differentiation of self (p<0.05). Furthermore, the therapy showed significant effects on the subscales of emotional reactivity and emotional fusion with others (p<0.05). However, no significant effects were observed on the subscales of emotional cutoff and I-position.
Conclusion: According to the findings of the research, it is possible to use group interpersonal psychotherapy in order to improve differentiation in mothers with the experience of child bereavement.
 
Keywords: Group interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), Differentiation, Mothers with child bereavement experience.
Full-Text [PDF 552 kb]   (239 Downloads)    
Semi-pilot: Semi-pilot | Subject: psychology
Received: 2025/05/6 | Accepted: 2025/07/13 | Published: 2026/03/30
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Mirzaee M, Kazemi A, Bahrami B. The effectiveness of group interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) on differentiation in mothers experiencing child mourning. MEDICAL SCIENCES 2026; 36 (1) :46-55
URL: http://tmuj.iautmu.ac.ir/article-1-2397-en.html


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Volume 36, Issue 1 (Spring 2026) Back to browse issues page
فصلنامه علوم پزشکی دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد پزشکی تهران Medical Science Journal of Islamic Azad Univesity - Tehran Medical Branch
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