Evaluating the Effectiveness of Emotion-Focused Therapy on Psychological Distress, Emotion Regulation, and Neuroticism in Female Teachers with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Aghili, Mojtaba; Shariat Nia, Masoomeh

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Volume 13, Issue 4 (Autumn 2025)

Shefaye Khatam 2025, 13(4): 50-60

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Evaluating the Effectiveness of Emotion-Focused Therapy on Psychological Distress, Emotion Regulation, and Neuroticism in Female Teachers with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Mojtaba Aghili ^*

, Masoomeh Shariat Nia

Department of Psychology, Payam Noor University, Tehran, Iran , asemanha@gmail.com

Abstract: (9 Views)

Introduction: Dyspepsia and gastroesophageal reflux are among the most common gastrointestinal disorders, significantly reducing quality of life. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of emotion-focused therapy on psychological distress, emotion regulation, and neuroticism in female teachers with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Materials and Methods: This semi-experimental study employed a pretest–posttest design with a control group. The population consisted of female teachers with GERD in schools of District 2, Gorgan, Iran, during the 2021–2022 academic year. Thirty participants were selected via convenience sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received twelve 60-minute sessions of emotion-focused therapy (EFT), while the control group did not receive any intervention during the study. Assessment tools included the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, the Gross & John Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, and the NEO Personality Inventory (Neuroticism subscale). Results: Findings indicated that EFT significantly reduced psychological distress, difficulties in emotion regulation, and neuroticism in the experimental group compared to the control group. Conclusion: The results suggest that EFT effectively reduces psychological distress, improves emotion regulation, and lowers neuroticism in female teachers with GERD, indicating its potential as a beneficial intervention for managing GERD-related psychological symptoms.

Keywords: Anxiety, Medically Unexplained Symptoms, Psychophysiologic Disorders

Full-Text [PDF 2114 kb] (1 Downloads)

Type of Study: Research --- Open Access, CC-BY-NC | Subject: Cognitive Neuroscience

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Aghili M, Shariat Nia M. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Emotion-Focused Therapy on Psychological Distress, Emotion Regulation, and Neuroticism in Female Teachers with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. Shefaye Khatam 2025; 13 (4) :50-60
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