Mr Reza Akbaree, Mr Masoud Shabazi, Ms Sedeh Zahara Alvavi, Ms Maryam Gholamzadeh,
Volume 20, Issue 2 (6-2026)
Given the prevalence of impulse control problems and poor self-control among prisoners and its role in the continuation of risky behaviors and recidivism, identifying effective psychological interventions to improve this ability seems essential. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of comparing the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy and schema therapy on the level of self-control of male prisoners in Kermanshah prison. The present study was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design and a control group with a three-month follow-up period. The statistical population of this study included male prisoners in Kermanshah in 1403. 45 prisoners were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to two experimental (30 people) and control (15 people) groups. Acceptance and commitment therapy was implemented in 8 90-minute sessions and schema therapy in 10 90-minute sessions each, in a group setting. The self-control scale was used to collect data. Data analysis was performed in SPSS-24 statistical software using repeated measures analysis of variance. Using repeated measures analysis of variance and Bonferroni post hoc test, the results of pairwise comparisons between measurement stages showed that there was a significant difference in the treatment groups between the pre-test, post-test and follow-up scores; this indicates the effect of the treatments in increasing self-control in the two treatment groups; however, no significant difference was observed between the post-test and follow-up; this finding alone does not prove the stability of the treatment effect. In the intergroup comparison, the results also showed that there was no significant difference between the two treatments at follow-up (P<0.05); and also that the two treatments were effective in increasing self-control compared to the control group at follow-up (P<0.05). Therefore, the research hypotheses that both treatment approaches are effective on self-control are confirmed and no significant difference was observed in their effectiveness on the dependent variable. According to the findings of this study, two interventions, acceptance and commitment therapy and schema therapy, had a similar effect on the self-control of male prisoners in Kermanshah Prison. Accordingly, it is suggested that these interventions be used in the rehabilitation and education of prisoners.
