The effectiveness of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy on alexithymia and complex post-traumatic stress disorder in Girls Foster children

Soltani Ghahfarokhi, Zivar; Kajbaf, Mohamad Bagher; Amiri, Shole; Mehrabi, Hossein Ali

doi:10.22059/japr.2026.394330.645271

The effectiveness of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy on alexithymia and complex post-traumatic stress disorder in Girls Foster children

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Zivar Soltani ghahfarokhi

Mohamad Bagher Kajbaf

Shole Amiri

Hossein Ali Mehrabi

Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

10.22059/japr.2026.394330.645271

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy on alexithymia and complex posttraumatic stress disorder in foster children. This study was a quasi-experimental study with an experimental group and a control group and was conducted as a pre-test, post-test, and one-month follow-up. The study population consisted of 9 to 11-year-old girls living in foster care in Isfahan in 2023. Considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria and using the convenience sampling method, two foster care, each consisting of 10 children, were selected as the intervention and control groups. The International Trauma (ITQ) and Alexithymia Questionnaire for Children (CAM) was used to collect data. Data analysis was performed using the mixed multivariate analysis of variance method using SPSS software, version 27. The results showed that trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy significantly reduced complex post-traumatic stress and alexithymia in the subjects in the post-test phase, and this reduction was maintained until the follow-up phase. The findings also showed that the effect of treatment on reducing complex post-traumatic stress in foster children was greater than that of alexithymia. Accordingly, it can be said that trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy can be considered as an effective treatment for some psychological disorders of foster children.

Keywords

Alexithymia

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Foster Children