The Effectiveness of Hope Therapy Based on Monotheistic Integrative Therapy on the Mental Health of Male High School Students in Yazd

Abstract

Background: Emotional and behavioral disorders and social problems can threaten the mental health of adolescents, who are particularly vulnerable to these difficulties. The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of hope therapy based on monotheistic integrative therapy (MIT) on the mental health of male high school students.

Methods: In this quasi-experimental studywith a pretest–posttest control group design, 40 male adolescent students were selected through convenience sampling from a high school in Yazd Countyduring the 2021–2022 academic yearand assigned to an experimental group (n = 20) and a control group (n = 20). The experimental group received 6 sessions of group counseling. Data were collected using the Child Symptom Inventory-4 (CSI-4),a screening measure for children and adolescents aged 6–14 years based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV). Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS version 26.

Result: After controlling for pretest scores, the experimental and control groups differed significantly in the mental health dimensions of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) (P < 0.001). However, the intervention had no significant effect on the conduct disorder dimension (P = 0.079).

Conclusion: Hope therapy based on MIT, delivered as group counseling, appears to be an effective approach for improving the mental health of male high school students.