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Comparison of the effectiveness of time perspective therapy and mindfulness on alexithymia in adolescent girls with a history of suicide attempts
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Maryam Neisari1    , Leila Moghtader *1 , Samereh Asadi Majareh1 |
| 1- Department of Psychology, Ra.C., Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran |
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Abstract: (20 Views) |
Background and Purpose: Adolescent girls are more susceptible to suicidal ideation and behaviors than boys. The present study aimed to compare the efficacy of Time Perspective Therapy (TPT) and Mindfulness in reducing alexithymia among adolescent girls with a history of suicide attempts.
Methods: The research method was quasi-experimental with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design. The target population included all adolescent girls with a history of suicide attempts who had active records in counseling centers in Rasht between 2024 and 2025 (N=67). All adolescents were selected by census method and randomly assigned to three groups: TPT (n=22), Mindfulness (n=22), and a control group (n=23). By the end of the intervention sessions, 17 adolescents remained in each group. The research instrument consisted of the latest validated Iranian version of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20; Bagby et al., 1994). For the first experimental group, the TPT was implemented, the second experimental group received mindfulness intervention, while the control group received no training. Both interventions were delivered in eight 90-minute sessions. Data analysis was performed using Mixed ANOVA in SPSS-27.
Results: The findings showed a significant decrease in the mean scores of alexithymia in the TPT and mindfulness groups during the post-test and follow-up phases compared to the control group (F = 16.72, P = 0.001). This reduction remained stable throughout the follow-up period (F = 16.13, P < 0.001). Based on the results of the Bonferroni post hoc test, no statistically significant difference was found between the effectiveness of the two treatments on the dependent variables (p > .05).
Conclusion: The lack of a significant difference between the two treatments indicates that, although TPT and mindfulness intervention operate through different theoretical pathways, both similarly reduce alexithymia in adolescent girls with a history of suicide attempts by decreasing rumination, improving emotion regulation, and enhancing cognitive flexibility. Therefore, clinicians can use either of these two protocols as effective tools for reducing alexithymia based on the client’s needs and the therapeutic context. |
Article number: 2 |
| Keywords: Alexithymia, mindfulness therapy, suicide attempt, time perspective therapy |
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2026/03/8 | Accepted: 2026/06/6 | Published: 2026/07/10
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