Mindfulness-based schema therapy and forgiveness therapy among women affected by infidelity: A randomized clinical...

Objective: Infidelity causes mental health problems, family disruptions, rumination about events and changes in women's beliefs about the disloyal person. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of mindfulness-based schema (MBS) therapy and forgiveness therapy in emotional responses, cognitive distortions and self-compassion of women affected by infidelity. Method: It was an experimental research with a pretest-posttest and follow-up design. Eighty-one women affected by infidelity were randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group. The experimental groups received interventions for ten 90-minute weekly sessions. Participants completed the questionnaires in the pretest, post-test and follow-up. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used for statistical analysis. Results: Both experimental groups were significantly different from the control group (p<.01). Forgiveness therapy was more effective in emotional responses and self-compassion in the post-test (p<.01) and follow-up (p<.001) stages. MBS therapy was more effective in cognitive distortions in the post-test and follow-up stages (p<.001). Participants of experimental groups were responders and satisfied with treatment and had a good therapeutic relationship. Conclusion: Given the type of problems faced by women affected by infidelity, forgiveness therapy and MBS therapy can be used to reduce mental sufferings and communication problems.