Volume 13, Issue 4 (Shenakht Journal of Psychology and Psychiatry 2026)
Shenakht Journal of Psychology and Psychiatry 2026, 13(4): 484-494 |
Back to browse issues page
Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
Asayesh M H, Mohammadi M. The Effectiveness of Psychoanalytic Paradoxical Therapy on Symptoms of Sleep Disorders, Anxiety, Stress, and Depression During a War Crisis: A Case Study. , Shenakht Journal of Psychology and Psychiatry. 2026; 13 (4) :484-494
URL: http://shenakht.muk.ac.ir/article-1-2525-en.html
URL: http://shenakht.muk.ac.ir/article-1-2525-en.html
1- Associate Professor, Department of Counseling, Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran , asayesh@ut.ac.ir
2- Ph.D. Student, Department of Clinical Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
2- Ph.D. Student, Department of Clinical Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract: (36 Views)
Background and Aims: War-related crises can lead to significant psychological repercussions, including sleep disturbances, anxiety, stress, and depression, thereby underscoring the urgent need for effective therapeutic modalities. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Paradoxical Therapy on symptoms of sleep disturbance, anxiety, stress, and depression within the context of a wartime crisis.
Materials and Methods: This study was conducted as a clinical single‑case study. The client was a 19-year-old female presenting with symptoms of sleep disturbance, anxiety, stress, and depression amidst a war crisis. The intervention comprised four individual sessions grounded in the principles of Paradoxical Therapy within a psychoanalytic framework, incorporating the free association technique. Data collection involved a clinical diagnostic interview, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21).
Results: The findings indicated that the baseline mean score on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was 19.5 (SD = 0.71), reflecting substantially impaired sleep quality before the intervention. This mean score decreased to 10.0 (SD = 4.00) during the intervention phase and further declined to 4.5 (SD = 0.71) at the follow-up assessment. Additionally, the total mean score on the DASS-21 decreased from 48.0 (SD = 4.24) at baseline to 24.33 (SD = 10.02) during the intervention phase, reaching 11.0 (SD = 1.41) at follow-up. The reduction in scores across both instruments demonstrated marked improvements in sleep disturbances and a significant alleviation of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms following the intervention, with therapeutic gains sustained at follow-up.
Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that Paradoxical Psychotherapy, utilizing free association and corrective emotional experiencing, is capable of producing deep, enduring, and clinically significant improvements over a short-term period, positioning it as an effective modality for managing sleep disturbances
Materials and Methods: This study was conducted as a clinical single‑case study. The client was a 19-year-old female presenting with symptoms of sleep disturbance, anxiety, stress, and depression amidst a war crisis. The intervention comprised four individual sessions grounded in the principles of Paradoxical Therapy within a psychoanalytic framework, incorporating the free association technique. Data collection involved a clinical diagnostic interview, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21).
Results: The findings indicated that the baseline mean score on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was 19.5 (SD = 0.71), reflecting substantially impaired sleep quality before the intervention. This mean score decreased to 10.0 (SD = 4.00) during the intervention phase and further declined to 4.5 (SD = 0.71) at the follow-up assessment. Additionally, the total mean score on the DASS-21 decreased from 48.0 (SD = 4.24) at baseline to 24.33 (SD = 10.02) during the intervention phase, reaching 11.0 (SD = 1.41) at follow-up. The reduction in scores across both instruments demonstrated marked improvements in sleep disturbances and a significant alleviation of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms following the intervention, with therapeutic gains sustained at follow-up.
Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that Paradoxical Psychotherapy, utilizing free association and corrective emotional experiencing, is capable of producing deep, enduring, and clinically significant improvements over a short-term period, positioning it as an effective modality for managing sleep disturbances
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2025/04/29 | Accepted: 2026/09/1 | Published: 2026/11/10
Received: 2025/04/29 | Accepted: 2026/09/1 | Published: 2026/11/10
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
