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

NCT07432139 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: 214/20242024.02378.BD
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 95
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief 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. 1.Does EFT reduce self-criticism as effectively as CBT?
2. 2.How do EFT and CBT compare in their impact on other mental health symptoms?
3. 3.Receive a six-session, weekly online individual intervention (EFT or CBT), focused on reducing self-criticism.
4. 4.Complete regular questionnaires during the intervention and at follow-up periods to track changes in self-criticism and other mental health symptoms.

Conditions

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Emotion Focused Therapy

Keywords

Self-Criticism; Emotion-Focused Therapy; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Brief Intervention; Randomized Controlled Trial; Comparison

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Level of Self-Criticism

  Measured using the Forms of Self-Criticizing/Attacking and Self-Reassuring Scale (FSCRS). The FSCRS provides separate scores for Inadequate Self, Hated Self, and Reassured Self. Scores range from 0 to 4, where higher scores indicate greater levels of the respective self-critical or self-reassuring tendencies. Reduction in the Inadequate Self and Hated Self subscales indicates improvement in self-criticism, while increases in Reassured Self indicate improvement in self-compassion.

  T1) Baseline: Within 24 hours prior to Session 1. T2-T6) Pre-session assessment : Within 24 hours before each weekly session (i.e., before sessions 2-6). T7) Post-intervention: 1 week after Session 6. T8-T9) Follow-ups: 1 and 3 months after T7.

Secondary Outcomes (8)

• Global Symptomatology

  T1) Baseline: Within 24 hours prior to Session 1 T2-T6) Pre-session assessment: Within 24 hours before each weekly session (i.e., before sessions 2-6) T7) Post-intervention: 1 week after finalizing Session 6 T8-T9) Follow-ups: 1 and 3 months after T7

• Mental Health Continuum - Short Form (MHC-SF):

  T1) Baseline: Within 24 hours prior to Session 1. T6) Within 24 hours before Session 6. T7) Post-intervention: 1 week after finalizing Session 6. T8-T9) Follow-up assessments: 1 and 3 months after T7.

• Depressive symptomatology

  T1) Baseline: Within 24 hours prior to Session 1 T2-T6) Pre-session: Within 24 hours before each weekly session (i.e., before Sessions 2-6) T7) Post-intervention: 1 week after Session 6 is finalized T8-T9) Follow-up assessments: 1 and 3 months after T7

• Anxiety Symptomatology

  T1) Baseline: Within 24 hours prior to Session 1. T2-T6) Pre-session: Within 24 hours before each weekly session (i.e., before Sessions 2-6). T7) Post-intervention: 1 week after Session 6 is finalized. T8-T9) Follow-up: 1 and 3 months after T7.

• Self-Esteem

  T1) Baseline: Within 24 hours prior to Session 1. T2-T6) Pre-session assessment : Within 24 hours before each weekly session (i.e., before sessions 2-6). T7) Post-intervention: 1 week after Session 6. T8-T9) Follow-ups: 1 and 3 months after T7.

Study Arms (2)

Emotion Focused Therapy

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this arm will receive a six-session, weekly, online individual Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) intervention targeting self-criticism. The core of the intervention is the two-chair dialogue, which helps participants identify and process self-critical thoughts and emotions, promote emotional transformation, and integrate different aspects of the self.

Behavioral: Emotion Focused Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants in this arm will receive a six-session, weekly, online individual Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) intervention, focused on cognitive restructuring of self-critical thoughts. CBT is a well-established, gold-standard treatment for a broad range of mental health difficulties, and serves as an active comparator to evaluate the efficacy of the EFT intervention. The intervention helps participants identify maladaptive self-criticism, challenging underlying beliefs, and develop more adaptive thought patterns.

Behavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Interventions

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy BEHAVIORAL

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.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Emotion Focused Therapy BEHAVIORAL

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.

Emotion Focused Therapy

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• age over 18 years old
• Portuguese native speakers
• elevated self-critical processes
• perceived impact of the self-critical process on their daily functionality,
• availability to work with self-critical processes.

You may not qualify if:

• elevated dysfunctionality
• high risk factors (such as suicide risk)
• severe psychopathology, such as bipolar personality disorder, panic disorder, substance abuse, and personality disorders non adequate to a brief intervention previously identified.
• changes in the therapeutic plan with psychotropic medication in the last month, if currently taking psychotropic medication
• psychological treatment maintenance during the study implementation.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Catarina Teixeira: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Maia

Maia, 4475-690, Portugal

Location

Related Links

• Website with information about the study and to facilitate participant enrolment

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Emotion-Focused Therapy

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior Therapy; Psychotherapy; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities

Study Officials

• João Salgado, PhD

  University of Maia

  STUDY CHAIR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Doctoral Student

Model Details: This is a randomized, parallel-group clinical trial comparing two brief online interventions (Emotion-Focused Therapy and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy) for reducing self-criticism and clinical symptoms. Participants are randomly assigned to one of the two interventions. Therapists are blind to participants' questionnaire results during the study.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 10, 2026
• First Posted: February 25, 2026
• Study Start: April 17, 2025
• Primary Completion: January 7, 2026
• Study Completion: January 7, 2026
• Last Updated: February 25, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

PT (1)