The effectiveness of compassion-based therapy on parenting stress and quality of life of mothers of children with learning disabilities.

Pourdadasi, Sina; Sadri Damirchi, Esmaeil; Aghadokht, Hossien

doi:10.22098/jld.2026.18268.2281

The effectiveness of compassion-based therapy on parenting stress and quality of life of mothers of children with learning disabilities.

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

¹ Master's degree student in Family Counseling, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran.

² Professor, Counseling Department, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran

10.22098/jld.2026.18268.2281

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy in reducing parenting stress and enhancing the quality of life of mothers of children with learning disabilities.
Materials and Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. The statistical population included all mothers of children with learning disabilities in Ardabil in 2025. Thirty mothers were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). The experimental group received eight sessions of compassion-focused therapy, whereas the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using the Parenting Stress Questionnaire and the Quality of Life Questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 26.
Results: The results indicated that the mean parenting stress scores in the experimental group significantly decreased in the posttest compared to the control group (P < 0.001). Additionally, the mean quality of life scores in the experimental group significantly increased in the posttest compared to the control group (P < 0.001).
Conclusion: Compassion-Focused Therapy was generally an effective intervention for reducing parenting stress and increasing the quality of life of mothers of children with learning disabilities. This approach can be applied in supportive programs for families of these children. It is recommended that future research assess the effects of the intervention with larger samples and long-term follow-ups.

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