THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EXISTENTIAL PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS IN MOTHERS OF CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of existential psychotherapy for depression, anxiety, and psychological stress in mothers caring for children with learning disorders (LDs). The study method was quasi-experimental, carried out with a pretest-posttest design, and included a control group. The study population was recruited from the mothers of children with learning disabilities who visited the Correction Center for Learning Disorders in Birjand City, Iran, during 2023. The study sample was recruited through convenience sampling and included 40 mothers who experienced extreme levels of psychological stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms (according to scores on the Psychological Distress Inventory and prescriptions from psychiatrists and psychologists working in the center). Women were randomly allocated to the control or experimental group (20 per group). The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) consisting of 21 questions was used to collect data from women in both groups at the start and at the end of the study period. The experimental group participated in a 10-session psychological therapy program with an existential approach, whereas the control group received no intervention. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and analyses of variance (ANOVAs). The results indicated that existential psychotherapy significantly reduced depression, anxiety and stress levels among those in the experimental group. According to the results obtained from this study, existential therapy is an effective approach for addressing emotional issues in mothers caring for children with learning disabilities.