The effect of CBT-based journaling on emotional responses to clothing styles

Clothing styles influence both outward appearance and internal emotional responses. Adolescents and young adults are particularly susceptible to emotional responses and irrational beliefs related to clothing styles. However, there is limited evidence on the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)-based journaling interventions in addressing these issues among non-clinical populations. This study examined the effects of CBT-based journaling on emotional responses and irrational beliefs related to clothing styles.

A randomized controlled trial involving 128 adolescents and young adults aged 15 to 22 years was conducted in Nsukka, Nigeria. Participants were randomly assigned to either a CBT-based journaling intervention group (n = 63) or a control group (n = 65). The 6-week intervention consisted of structured journaling targeting cognitive restructuring, emotional responses, and irrational beliefs related to clothing styles. Baseline and post-intervention assessments utilized the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale for Clothing Styles and the Clothing Style Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using ANCOVA, controlling for baseline scores.

The intervention group demonstrated significant improvement in emotional regulation compared with the control group, F(1, 125) = 253.10, P < .001, partial η² = 0.669. Similarly, the intervention group exhibited significantly reduced irrational beliefs, F(1, 125) = 127.82, P < .001, partial η² = 0.506. In both cases, CBT-based journaling accounted for a large proportion of the variance in post-intervention outcomes.

CBT-based journaling is an effective and scalable intervention for improving emotional responses and reducing irrational beliefs related to clothing styles. Its efficacy highlights the potential for broad application in mental health promotion, particularly in appearance-sensitive contexts among adolescents and young adults.