Volume 13, Issue 3 (September 2026)                   Health Spiritual Med Ethics 2026, 13(3): 203-212 | Back to browse issues page

Ethics code: IR.IAU.QOM.REC.1403.134

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Zandieh M, Habibzade A, Abdi Zarrin S. The Effectiveness of Spirituality Therapy on Shame, Guilt, and Loneliness in Female Students. Health Spiritual Med Ethics 2026; 13 (3) :203-212
URL: http://jhsme.muq.ac.ir/article-1-650-en.html
The Effectiveness of Spirituality Therapy on Shame, Guilt, and Loneliness in Female Students
Maryam Zandieh1 , Abbas Habibzade *2 , Sohrab Abdi Zarrin3
1- Department of Psychology, Qo.C., Islamic Azad University, Qom, Iran.
2- Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Qom, Qom, Iran. , habibzade2008@yahoo.com
3- Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Qom, Qom, Iran.
Abstract:   (898 Views)

Background and Objectives: Self-conscious emotions, such as shame, guilt, and loneliness are crucial psychological experiences that are increasingly observed during adolescence. Given the prevalence of psychological problems in adolescents, this study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of spirituality therapy in reducing feelings of shame, guilt, and loneliness among female students in the first cycle of secondary education in Qom City, Iran.

Methods: The research was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test/post-test design and a control group. The study sample included 32 female students suffering from feelings of shame, guilt, and loneliness, who were selected by convenience sampling and randomly assigned to an experimental group (spirituality therapy) and a control group (16 participants in each group). The experimental group received a spirituality therapy educational package. The measurement tools included the guilt and shame experience scale (GSES) and the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) loneliness questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 26), repeated measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and the Bonferroni post-hoc test.

Results: The results of the repeated measures ANCOVA showed that spirituality therapy had a significant effect on reducing feelings of shame, guilt, and loneliness in the experimental group (P<0.001). The effect size for the interaction was found to be 0.73 for shame, 0.40 for guilt, and 0.27 for loneliness. Comparing the effect sizes indicates that this intervention had the greatest impact on reducing feelings of shame. The results of the Bonferroni post-hoc test also demonstrated that this reduction in feelings of shame, guilt, and loneliness in the experimental group remained stable up to the follow-up stage.

Conclusion: Based on the results, spirituality therapy can be used as an effective method for reducing feelings of shame, guilt, and loneliness in adolescents. These findings can serve as a useful guide for mental health professionals in improving the psychological problems of this age group.

Keywords: Spiritual therapy, Shame, Guilt, Loneliness
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Type of Study: Original Article | Subject: Special
Received: 2025/09/1 | Accepted: 2025/11/18 | Published: 2026/05/31
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