The Effectiveness of Emotion-Focused Therapy in Increasing Emotional Valuing and Self-Acceptance among Students with Social Anxiety

Background: Social anxiety is one of the most common psychological difficulties among university students and is often associated with emotional avoidance, shame, fear of negative evaluation, self-criticism, and low self-acceptance. Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) emphasizes emotional awareness, acceptance, regulation, and transformation and may help socially anxious students develop a more adaptive relationship with their emotions and themselves.

Objective: The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of Emotion-Focused Therapy in increasing emotional valuing and self-acceptance among students with social anxiety.

Method: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest control group and follow-up assessment. The statistical population consisted of university students with symptoms of social anxiety studying at [university name] in [city], Iran, during the academic year [year]. Thirty students were selected through purposive sampling based on inclusion and exclusion criteria and were randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group received ten weekly individual sessions of Emotion-Focused Therapy, whereas the control group received no intervention during the study period. Data were collected using the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale, the Emotion Beliefs Questionnaire, and a self-acceptance measure. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance and repeated-measures analysis of variance.

Results: The findings showed that, after controlling for pretest scores, Emotion-Focused Therapy had a significant effect on emotional valuing and self-acceptance. Students in the experimental group reported significantly higher emotional valuing and self-acceptance at posttest compared with students in the control group. Follow-up findings indicated that these improvements were maintained over time.

Conclusion: Emotion-Focused Therapy appears to be an effective intervention for increasing emotional valuing and self-acceptance among students with social anxiety. By helping students become more aware of their emotions, reduce emotional avoidance, transform shame and self-criticism, and develop a more accepting relationship with themselves, EFT may contribute to improved emotional functioning and psychological well-being.