Comparison the Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Group Therapy and Social Skills Training on Self-Esteem and Social Phobia Disorder

Background: In general, a healthy work environment can be closely related to the mental health of its employees. All jobs, even the seemingly easy ones, have breathtaking moments of responsibility and expectation. Prolonged job stress and work pressures will eventually lead to mental disorder. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of social skills training and group therapy based on commitment and acceptance on self-esteem and social phobia disorder. Materials and Methods: The research method was quasi-experimental and pre-test-post-test design was equal to the control group. The statistical population of the study was all employees working in government offices in Arak in the second half of 1397. Among the statistical population, available and targeted sampling method for 1300 eligible people (age 25 to 60 years, no history of mental illness) Connor (2000) and Cooper-Smith (1967) self-esteem questionnaire were administered to this number. Of these, 45 people who had the lowest score in the tests were randomly selected into two experimental groups and one control group (15 people in each group). Then, intervention was performed for the volunteers of the experimental groups (social skills training and group therapy based on commitment and acceptance). Data were analyzed by SPSS software and multivariate analysis of covariance and Bonferroni post hoc test at a significance level of 5%. Results: The results showed that social skills training and treatment based on commitment and acceptance significantly increased self-esteem and decreased social fear (p <0.001). Also, no significant difference was observed between the two treatments (p <0.001). Conclusion: According to the research findings, social skills training methods and treatment based on commitment and acceptance can be used as an effective method to reduce social fear and increase self-esteem in employees.