Fundamentals of Mental Health

Fundamentals of Mental Health

Comparing the effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy with solution-focused brief therapy on experiential avoidance and depressive symptoms in university students

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Maryam Nabili Noghabi 1
Abolfazl Bakhshipour 2
Mehdi Ghasemi Motlagh 2
1 Ph.D. student in counseling, Department of Psychology, Bojnourd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bojnourd, Iran.
2 Associate professor, Department of Psychology, Bojnourd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bojnourd, Iran.
10.22038/JFMH.2025.81593.3149
Abstract
Introduction: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) in experiential avoidance and depressive symptoms among university students.
 
Materials and Methods: Fifty-four university students in Gonabad City, Iran, were randomly assigned to ISTDP, SFBT, or a control group. Both therapies consisted of 10 sessions. ISTDP followed a seven-phase protocol addressing unconscious conflicts and emotional experiences, while SFBT utilized practical problem-solving strategies. Pre- and post-treatment assessments of experiential avoidance and depressive symptoms were conducted using the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), respectively. Data was analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA).
 
Results: The findings indicated significant differences between the treatment groups and the control group for experiential avoidance (F(2,51)= 95.62, P< 0.001, η²= 0.79) and depressive symptoms (F(2,51)= 9.51, P< 0.001, η²= 0.28). Specifically, ISTDP reduced depressive symptoms (P= 0.01, η²= 0.40) more than SFBT (P= 0.05, η²= 0.20). Both therapies were effective in reducing experiential avoidance compared to the control group, but ISTDP demonstrated a more substantial effect on reducing both experiential avoidance and depressive symptoms.
 
Conclusion: ISTDP proved more effective than SFBT in reducing both experiential avoidance and depressive symptoms among university students. While both therapies were beneficial, ISTDP showed greater efficacy in addressing underlying psychological issues and improving depressive symptoms.
Keywords
Avoidance
Depression
Mental health
Psychodynamics
Psychotherapy
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Fundamentals of Mental Health
Volume 27, Issue 5
September and October 2025
Pages 323-329