NCT07432139

Brief Emotion-Focused Therapy for Self-Criticism: A Comparison With a Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Approach

Efficacy of a Short-Term Emotion-Focused Therapy Intervention for Self-Criticism Compared With a Cognitive-Behavioral Gold Standard: A Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 95 (actual)
• Sponsor: Catarina Teixeira · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine whether Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) is an effective approach in reducing self-criticism in adults. EFT will be compared with Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a well-established treatment shown to be effective for a wide range of mental health difficulties. The main questions the study aims to answer are: 1. Does EFT reduce self-criticism as effectively as CBT? 2. How do EFT and CBT compare in their impact on other mental health symptoms? Participants will: 1. Receive a six-session, weekly online individual intervention (EFT or CBT), focused on reducing self-criticism. 2. Complete regular questionnaires during the intervention and at follow-up periods to track changes in self-criticism and other mental health symptoms.

Conditions

• Emotion Focused Therapy
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Cognitive Behavioral Therapy	Six weekly online individual sessions using Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with cognitive restructuring. The intervention helps participants identify maladaptive self-critical thoughts, examine underlying beliefs, and access more adaptive and constructive thought patterns. Techniques include thought monitoring, identification of cognitive biases, the downward arrow method to explore assumptions and core beliefs, Socratic dialogue, and various techniques to challenge maladaptive thoughts and beliefs and access more adaptive ones. The intervention aims to reduce self-criticism and related clinical symptoms and to improve psychological well-being. This arm serves as an active comparator to the Emotion-Focused Therapy intervention.
BEHAVIORAL	Emotion Focused Therapy	Six weekly online individual sessions using Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), with a specific focus on the two-chair dialogue. The intervention addresses self-criticism as a marker of dysfunctional emotional processing, helping participants access and differentiate between the self-critical voice and the more vulnerable, experiencer self. Participants are guided to access and transform maladaptive emotional responses associated with self-criticism and integrate previously conflicting parts of the self. The intervention aims to soften maladaptive self-criticism, enhance emotional awareness, and promote overall well-being.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-04-17
• Primary completion: 2026-01-07
• Completion: 2026-01-07
• First posted: 2026-02-25
• Last updated: 2026-02-25

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Portugal