The Effectiveness of Compassion Focused Therapy on Depression and Self Criticism of Female University Students

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of compassion-based therapy on depression and self criticism of female students. This study employed a semi-experimental method and used a pre-test, post-test and follow up design with experimental and control groups. The population included all female students of university of Farhangian in Ahvaz in 2014 (1393-94s.c.). From among 200 students who were registered to participate in the study, 40 students who had received one standard deviation above the mean in the test of depression, were selected randomly and assigned in the experimental (20 students) and control (students) groups. The tools of this study were Beck Depression Inventory (Beck, et al, 1996) and Levels of Self-Criticism Scale (Thompson, 2004). The experimental group received 8 sessions of the compassion-based therapy. The analysis of covariance showed that compassion-based therapy decreased students’ depression and self criticism (internalizing self-criticism and comparative self-criticism). (P<0.0001). These results significantly persisted after follow-up period. It was then concluded that compassion-based therapy can be used by psychologist as a new and effective method to decrease depression and female students’ self-criticism.