The Effect of Cognitive Hope Enhancing Training on Character Strengths of Disthymic Clients

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Abstract

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of cognitive hope enhancing training on the profile of character strengths in dysthymic clients.
Method: Subjects of the study were 40 clients with dysthymic disorder, who were randomly selected and assigned to two experimental and control groups. At first, the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths (VIA-IS) was administered to them as pre- test for both groups. Then the experimental group received 6 sessions of cognitive hope enhancing training. The control group did not receive any training. At the end of training, the VIA-IS administered again to all subjects as post- test.
Results: The results of analysis of covariance showed that after cognitive hope enhancing training, the means of the character strengths of the training group were significantly higher than the control group.
Conclusion: This study showed that cognitive hope enhancing training is an effective intervention to improve strengths of wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence.

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