Comparison of the Effectiveness of Group Compassion Therapy and Group Narrative Therapy on the Psychological Capital of the Elderly

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Abbas Keshavarz ¹

Hamid Nejat ²

Ali Akbar Samari ³

¹ Phd student of Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, UAE.C., Islamic Azad University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

² Associate Professor, Department of Family and Counseling, Ma.C., Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran

³ Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Psychology, Kash.C, Islamic Azad University, Kashmar, Iran.

10.22067/tpccp.2026.95099.1819

Abstract

Extended Abstract
Introduction
The global aging trend has revealed an increasing need for effective psychological interventions to promote mental health. By 2060, the proportion of the world's older adults is projected to increase from 12% to 22% (Mathieu et al., 2024), and one in five older adults is expected to have a mental disorder (Tampi et al., 2022). This issue has also gained special importance in Iran as it enters the demographic aging phase (Zanjari et al., 2024). Concurrently, psychological capital, comprising hope, self-efficacy, flexibility, and optimism, has been demonstrated to play a pivotal role in enhancing well-being and resilience (Avey et al., 2011; Luthans & Broad, 2025). Two approaches have been demonstrated to be effective in improving this capital: compassion therapy, which involves reducing self-criticism and increasing emotional regulation (Petrocchi et al., 2024), and narrative therapy, which involves reconstructing life stories and strengthening components of hope and self-efficacy (Chan, 2023). The objective of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of these two group therapies on the amount of psychological capital of the older adults and to evaluate the sustainability of their effects during a two-month follow-up period.
Method
The present study was a quantitative and quasi-experimental study with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design. The statistical population of this study included retired education workers in Mashhad (65 to 80 years old). Among them, using purposive sampling, 45 participants (21 men and 24 women) were identified and randomly assigned to three groups of 15 (compassion therapy, narrative therapy, and control). The interventions administered to the experimental groups consisted of eight 90-minute sessions for each protocol (Gilbert, 2009; White, 2007). The dependent variable, psychological capital, was measured using the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ), Luthans et al. (2007), in three stages.
Findings
The statistical analysis of the results indicated a significant effect of the time factor on the dependent variable (i.e., psychological capital) (P<0.001, F=49.47). This finding substantiates the hypothesis that, in general, the interventions engendered alterations in psychological capital scores, such that the measurement stages elucidated nearly 53% of the variance in the scores. Pairwise Bonferroni analyses revealed the status of the groups separately. The control group did not show a significant difference in scores during the three time stages, indicating the natural stability of the variable in the absence of intervention. In contrast, the compassion therapy and narrative therapy groups exhibited a statistically significant discrepancy in scores between the pre-test (T1), post-test (T2), and follow-up stage (T3) (P < 0.001). The most salient finding with respect to effect stability was the absence of a significant difference between post-test (T2) and follow-up (T3) scores in both experimental groups (p_{Compassion Therapy G = 0.062, p_{Narrative Therapy G = 0.052), indicating appropriate stability and persistence of the positive effects of the treatments over a two-month period. Despite the demonstrated stability in both groups, the effect size for the compassion therapy group (84%) was estimated to be marginally higher than that of the narrative therapy group (81%), suggesting the relative superiority of compassion therapy in enhancing the psychological resources of the older adults.
Discussion
This study, by providing substantial empirical evidence, has definitively proven the essential role of both narrative therapy and compassion therapy interventions in promoting all components of psychological capital in the older adult population. The findings of this study demonstrate a complete alignment with previous research, particularly the positive effect of narrative therapy on promoting key variables such as "vitality" and "self-efficacy." This finding is in full agreement with the results reported by Esgoi et al. (2024). The validity of this study is reinforced by the corroboration of the findings reported by Chen (2023). Chen clearly demonstrated the superiority of narrative therapy over cognitive-behavioral therapy in enhancing the indicators of "hope" and "optimism." Additionally, narrative therapy was found to be more effective in strengthening "self-efficacy" and "resilience." The present study corroborates this hierarchy by enriching this comparison. These results align with the supportive findings of previous studies, including those by Bani Safar and Ahi (2023), Najibi Far (2022), Fazeli (2022), Hosseini Mehr et al. (2021), and Changizi and Panah Ali (2016). These studies have emphasized the positive impact of these approaches on psychological capital. The scientific rationale for this efficacy is rooted in each treatment's internal mechanism. Narrative therapy, by focusing on "reconstructing life narratives" and using techniques such as "externalizing the problem," provides the basis for strengthening the "sense of personal agency." By accentuating "unique outcomes" and past achievements, this process challenges deep-rooted dysfunctional beliefs and directly enhances the individual's level of "hope" and "optimism." Conversely, compassion therapy emphasizes emotional regulation. This therapeutic modality, predicated on the notion of "self-compassion," enables older adults  to embrace their shortcomings and failures within a "non-judgmental" paradigm. The therapeutic effect of this approach is a reduction in "anger" and an augmentation in "emotional self-awareness." This internal acceptance serves as a foundational element for enhancing "resilience" in the face of the challenges encountered in daily life, exhibiting a direct link to the enhancement of "self-efficacy."
Given the confirmation of the effectiveness of both methods and the understanding of their different mechanisms, the main proposal focuses on the design and distribution of "comprehensive educational booklets." These booklets not only explain the effect of the treatment (theoretical development), but also provide practical exercises for both methods. These exercises allow caregivers and the old adults to take effective steps in the continuous promotion of their psychological capital without the need for the constant presence of a psychotherapist.

Keywords

Compassion-Focused Therapy

Narrative Therapy

Group Therapy

Psychological Capital

Older Adults

Subjects

• Cognetive Psy

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