The effectiveness of emotional schema therapy on irrational beliefs and body image of women with body deformity disorder

Background. The present study aimed at determining the effect of emotional schema therapy on the irrational beliefs and body image of women with body deformity disorders. Methods. This was semi-experimental research with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of this research included all women with body deformity disorders who were referred to the psychiatric centers of the 5th district of Tehran in 2021. Using the available sampling method, 30 people were selected from those who were referred to the mentioned centers. The research tools included the Ahvaz Irrational Belief and the Self-Body Multidimensional Questionnaires. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance in SPSS-24. Results. Emotional schema therapy was effective on the irrational beliefs (the total score) and body image of women with body deformity disorders. In addition, emotional schema therapy could affect irrational beliefs in the components of expecting approval from others, avoiding problems, and showing emotional irresponsibility, but it had no significant effect on the component of being helpless against change. Conclusion. According to the findings, emotional schema therapy can be an effective method for correcting the irrational beliefs and body image of women with body deformity disorders. Practical Implications . Based on the results, therapists can use emotional schema therapy as one of the most efficient methods for treating negative beliefs and stereotypes.

problem of people with body deformity disorders is body image disorder.The present study sought to determine the effect of emotional schema therapy on the irrational beliefs and body image of women who suffer from body deformity disorders.

Methods
The current research used a semi-experimental method with a pre-test-post-test design and a control group.The statistical population of this research was all the women with body deformity disorders who had been referred to the psychiatric centers of the 5th district of Tehran for examinations in 2021.Using the available sampling method, 30 individuals were selected from among those who referred to these centers and volunteered to participate in the experiment.To perform the research, first, during a phone call, a written consent form was obtained from the participants to participate in the research.Then, these people were randomly assigned to two experimental (15 people) and control (15 people) groups.Next, the pre-test was performed on both groups, and the experimental group participated in emotional schema therapy classes for 10 sessions of one and a half hours.During this period, the control group received no intervention.Finally, the post-test was performed on the two groups.The inclusion criteria were being in the age range of 20-40 years old, having a body deformity disorders based on the diagnosis received from psychiatric centers, not having a history of mental disorders, and signing an informed consent form to participate in the study.On the other hand, the exclusion criteria were showing an unwillingness to continue cooperation at any stage of the research, receiving parallel treatment, whether drug therapy or any other type of psychotherapy, and not attending the meetings for more than two sessions.The required data were analyzed by descriptive (means and standard deviations) and inferential (univariate and multivariate analysis of covariance) statistics using SPSS software (version 24).To check the assumptions of covariance analysis, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used for the normal distribution of variables.In addition, the Lune, Mbox, tests were utilized for the homogeneity of variances, the homogeneity of the variance-covariance matrix, and the homogeneity of the regression slope, respectively, all of which allowed for the use of covariance analysis.

Findings
Emotional schema therapy affected the irrational beliefs (the total score) and body image of women with body deformity disorders.Furthermore, emotional schema therapy was effective on irrational beliefs in terms of expecting approval from others, avoiding problems, and demonstrating emotional irresponsibility, while it had no significant impact on the component of being helpless against any changes.

Results
The separate examination of dependent variables demonstrated that the F-value obtained in the three components of approval expectation, problem avoidance, and emotional irresponsibility was significant at P ≤ 0.01.Therefore, in these components, the difference between the two experimental and control groups was significant.Additionally, considering that in all these three components, the decrease in the test group's score in the post-test was more than the change in the score in the witness group, emotional schema therapy was effective on the expectation of approval, problem avoidance, and emotional irresponsibility.However, the effect of emotional schema therapy on helplessness against change was not significant.In the concept of the tone variable, the F-value obtained was equal to 14.55, which was significant at P ≤ 0.01.Considering the increase in the score of the experimental group in the post-test, the implementation of emotional schema therapy could effectively improve women's body image.

Conclusion
Given that each of the mentioned components (eliminating the expectation of approval from others, avoiding problems, and showing emotional irresponsibility) has an emotional element, they can be effective in the schema of emotional therapy.Their main goal is to interpret the emotions and beliefs of people about their emotions.However, this issue has not been effective regarding the component of helplessness against change, and this is probably because other components have been emphasized more during the meetings, while helplessness against change has received no attention.On the other hand, helplessness against change seems to have a stronger cognitive element than the emotional element, and perhaps the cognitive therapy schema could play a greater role here.According to the findings of this research, emotional schema therapy can be an influential technique for correcting the body image and irrational beliefs of women who suffer from body deformity disorders.