Comparison the effectiveness of empathic and anxiety regulating dynamic psychotherapies on symptom reduction and defense mechanism of students with symptoms of adult separation anxiety disorder

Introduction: The aim of the present research was to examine and compare the effectiveness of empathic dynamic psychotherapy and anxiety regulating dynamic psychotherapy on symptom and maladaptive defense mechanisms reduction in university students with symptoms of adult separation anxiety disorder. Method: The present study was an experimental research with pre-post test and 2-month follow up. Thirty students with symptoms of adult separation anxiety disorder among university students of Ardabil were randomly selected and were assigned into three groups, empathic group (10), anxiety regulating group (10) and control group (10). Adult separation anxiety disorder scale and defense mechanism questionnaire in three stages, pre, post and follow up stages were fulfilled. Two therapies were administered in 12 sessions of two month. The date was analyzed via analysis of variance with repeated measure.   Result: The result showed that empathic and anxieties regulating dynamic psychotherapies were effective in reducing symptoms and maladaptive defense mechanisms and the changes were sustained in 2-month follow up. The results also showed that empathic dynamic psychotherapy was effective in reducing symptoms and anxiety regulating dynamic psychotherapy was effective in reducing maladaptive defense mechanisms. Conclusion: According to the results of the present research, empathic and anxiety regulating dynamic psychotherapies were effective and efficient therapies to reduce symptoms and maladaptive defense mechanisms in adult separation anxiety disorder. Keywords: adult separation anxiety disorder, empathic psychodynamic therapy, anxiety regulating dynamic psychotherapy, symptoms, defense mechanism.