Sadra Medical Journal

Effectiveness of Emotional Schema Therapy on Reactive Aggression and Alexithymia in Female Students with Abusive Parents

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Fatemeh Hashemian 1
Masoud Shahbazi 2
Maryam Gholamzadeh Jofreh 3

1 Department of Counseling, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz branch, Iran

2 Department of Counseling, Masjed Soleiman Branch, Islamic Azad University, Masjed Soleiman, Iran

3 Department of Counseling, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran

https://doi.org/10.30476/smsj.2026.102355.1519
Abstract
Introduction: Aggressive behavior in female students with abusive parents can have numerous negative effects on their personal, social, and emotional development. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of emotional schema therapy (EST) on reactive aggression and alexithymia in this population.
Methods: The quantitative study employed a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a one-month follow-up. The statistical population comprised all female secondary high school students with abusive parents and aggression problems in Mahshahr during the 2023-2024 academic year. A purposive sample of 30 participants was selected and randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n=15) or a control group (n=15). The research instruments included the Reactive–Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (Raine et al., 2006) and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (Taylor et al., 1994). The experimental group received ten 90-minute sessions of emotional schema therapy based on Leahy's protocol (Leahy et al., 2015), while the control group was placed on a waiting list. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni post hoc test. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software (version 26). 
Results: The results demonstrated that emotional schema therapy led to a significant reduction in the mean scores of reactive aggression and alexithymia among female students with abusive parents (P<0.01). Furthermore, the therapeutic effects of EST on both reactive aggression and alexithymia were maintained at the one-month follow-up (P<0.01).
Conclusion: The findings of this study supported the role of modifying emotional schemas in reducing reactive aggression and alexithymia in female students with abusive parents. Emotional schema therapy appeared to be an effective intervention for addressing emotional dysregulation in this vulnerable population.
 

Keywords

Schema Therapy
Aggression
Emotion
Affective Symptoms
Students
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Sadra Medical Journal
Volume 14, Issue 1
Winter 2026
Pages 179-190

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