Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Dialectical Behavior Therapy on Depressive Symptoms, Irrational Beliefs and Psychological Well-being of Women

Introduction: Given the importance and position of women in the family, it seems that measures should be taken for their mental health. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy on depressive symptoms, irrational beliefs and mental psychological well-being of women. Method: This quasi-experimental study was a pre-test, post-test and follow-up after three months. The statistical population included women who referred to Mehregan Counseling Center in Mashhad who had referred in 2019. Among them, 30 women with depressive symptoms were randomly selected and randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group awaiting treatment. The intervention group was performed under eight group sessions for 90 minutes once a week. To collect data, the Jones Irrational Beliefs Questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory, and Reef Psychological Well-Being Scale were used. Repeated measures analysis of variance was utilized to analyze data. Results: The results of repeated measures analysis of variance showed that dialectical behavior therapy is effective in reducing depressive symptoms and irrational beliefs as well as increasing women's psychological well-being (p<0.05). Conclusion: Therefore, dialectical behavior therapy can be effective in reducing depression, irrational beliefs and increasing women's psychological well-being. It is suggested that by using these variables by medical centers, other relevant organs and organizations, an effective step can be taken to improve the mental health status of women.