The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Exposure Therapy on Preventing Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Metacognitive Beliefs, Emotional Self-Regulation, and Cognitive Distortions in Men with OCD

Subject Areas :

Ghorban Fathi Aghdam ¹

1 - Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Abhar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Abhar, Iran

Received: 2025-01-14 Accepted : 2025-01-14 Published : 2024-06-19

Keywords: Mindfulness-Based Therapy, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Metacognitive Beliefs, Emotional Self-Regulation, Cognitive Distortions, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.,

Abstract :

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is one of the most common and debilitating mental disorders. Numerous factors contribute to the onset and exacerbation of this disorder, among which generalized anxiety disorder, metacognitive beliefs, emotional self-regulation, and cognitive distortions are significant. The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based exposure therapy on preventing generalized anxiety disorder, improving metacognitive beliefs, emotional self-regulation, and reducing cognitive distortions in men with OCD. This research was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. The statistical population included all men with OCD in the city of Sanandaj. The sample consisted of 40 men with OCD, selected through purposive sampling, and divided into experimental and control groups. Data were collected using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7), the Metacognitive Beliefs Questionnaire (MCQ), the Emotional Self-Regulation Questionnaire by Hofmann and Kashdan, and the Cognitive Distortions Questionnaire by Albert Ellis. After conducting the pretest, the experimental group underwent ten 90-minute intervention sessions, while the control group was placed on a waiting list for treatment. The posttest was conducted at the end of the intervention. Multivariate covariance analysis (MANCOVA) was used to analyze the data. The results showed that mindfulness-based exposure therapy was effective in preventing generalized anxiety disorder, improving metacognitive beliefs, enhancing emotional self-regulation, and reducing cognitive distortions in men with OCD. Covariance analysis, controlling for pretest effects, revealed a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the posttest on the mentioned variables. Compared to the control group, the experimental group demonstrated a significant reduction in generalized anxiety disorder, metacognitive beliefs, and cognitive distortions, along with a significant increase in emotional self-regulation. Based on the findings, given that men with OCD exhibit symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, metacognitive beliefs, emotional self-regulation issues, and cognitive distortions, mindfulness-based therapy is recommended as an effective treatment for individuals with OCD.

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