Effectiveness of Short-Term Intensive Dynamic Psychotherapy on Locus of Control and Achievement Motivation in Divorced Depressed Women

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of Short-Term Intensive Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) on locus of control and achievement motivation in divorced depressed women. Methods and Materials: This research employed a quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest and a control group. The study population included all divorced depressed women who referred to psychological clinics in Qom during the summer of 2024. From this population, 30 individuals were selected using cluster random sampling and randomly assigned to experimental (15 participants) and control (15 participants) groups. The experimental group received five 60-minute sessions of Short-Term Intensive Dynamic Psychotherapy. The control group did not receive any form of treatment. The research instruments included the Locus of Control Questionnaire and the Hermans Achievement Motivation Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) through SPSS version 22. Findings: The results of the analysis of covariance at a significance level of p < .05 indicated that the variables of locus of control (F = 21.14) and achievement motivation (F = 32.13) showed significant differences between the control and experimental groups. Conclusion: Based on the findings, Short-Term Intensive Dynamic Psychotherapy appears to be effective in shifting locus of control from external to internal and enhancing achievement motivation among divorced depressed women.