Pilot randomized trial links motivational psychotherapy with improved depression and academic self-concept in Iranian teenage girls

A pilot randomized controlled trial involving 30 Iranian adolescent girls aged 15–18 found that Motivational Psychotherapy was associated with lower post-intervention depression scores and higher academic self-concept scores than a waitlist control group. The study, summarized in an abstract published in BMC Psychology, assigned 15 participants to the therapy and 15 to the control condition. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and after the intervention, with analyses accounting for baseline scores. Because the trial was small and its control group received no active treatment, the results provide preliminary rather than definitive evidence of effectiveness.

The intervention consisted of eight weekly group sessions based on Sahebdel’s nine-step Motivational Psychotherapy model, a framework developed through clinical observations and practice in Iran. Depression was measured with the Beck Depression Inventory, while academic self-concept was assessed with the Academic Self-Concept Questionnaire. The researchers analyzed the results using multivariate analysis of covariance followed by follow-up analyses of covariance under an intention-to-treat approach. The trial was retrospectively registered with ClinicalTrials.gov on 29 July 2025 under identifier NCT07094243; the abstract states that the reported outcomes were consistent with the registered protocol and that registration occurred before final data analysis and interpretation.

After adjustment for baseline values, participants in the Motivational Psychotherapy group had significantly lower depression scores than those in the waitlist group, with a reported F statistic of 77.43, p less than .001 and partial eta squared of 0.741. They also had significantly higher academic self-concept scores, with F equal to 117.65, p less than .001 and partial eta squared of 0.813. These statistics describe differences between the study groups at the post-intervention assessment. The abstract does not report how many participants completed all eight sessions, whether adverse events were monitored, or what longer-term changes occurred after treatment ended.

The authors described Motivational Psychotherapy as emphasizing identity development, symbolic role clarification, environmental influences and motivational processes within the Iranian cultural context. They also noted that its structured, group-based format was compatible with school delivery, suggesting possible use in educational mental health services. That potential remains untested in this trial: the study included only one small group of adolescent girls in Iran, used a waitlist comparator, and assessed outcomes only at baseline and post-intervention. The authors therefore called for larger randomized controlled trials with active comparison groups and long-term follow-up to assess efficacy, durability and generalizability more reliably.

Subject of Research: Pilot randomized trial of Motivational Psychotherapy for depression and academic self-concept among Iranian adolescent girls

Article Title: Motivational psychotherapy for adolescent depression and academic self-concept: a pilot trial in a non-western context

Article References: Momeni, A., & Sahebdel, H. (2026). Motivational psychotherapy for adolescent depression and academic self-concept: a pilot trial in a non-western context. BMC Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-026-05657-1

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s40359-026-05657-1

Keywords: adolescent depression, motivational psychotherapy, academic self-concept, pilot randomized trial, Iranian adolescents, group psychotherapy, school mental health, Motivational, psychotherapy, adolescent, depression, academic