KMAN Publication Inc. (KMANPUB) Journal of Adolescent and Youth Psychological Studies (JAYPS) 2981-2526 7 Serial Number 45 2026 05 01 Evaluating the Efficacy of Paradoxical Therapy within the Psychoanalytic Framework for Mental Health and Symptoms of Prolonged Grief Disorder Evaluating the Efficacy of Paradoxical Therapy within the Psychoanalytic Framework for Mental Health and Symptoms of Prolonged Grief Disorder 10.61838/kman.jayps.4476 EN Journal Article 2025 09 14 <table> <tbody> <tr> <td> <p><strong>Objective:</strong> Prolonged grief disorder (PGD) is associated with various maladaptive psychological consequences. The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of Paradoxical Therapy within a psychoanalytic framework on mental health indices and symptoms of prolonged grief.</p> <p><strong>Methods and Materials: </strong>This study employed a single-case experimental design. Three clients, during 2024 at the University of Tehran Psychology Clinic, received psychotherapy using Paradoxical Therapy. The research design followed a baseline–intervention–follow-up (ABA) model. Interventions consisted of six individual sessions grounded in the principles of psychoanalytic Paradoxical Therapy. Assessment tools included a diagnostic interview, the Treatment Outcome Subjective Rating Scale (TOSRS), and the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90).</p> <p><strong>Findings:</strong> Findings indicated a marked reduction in grief-related symptom severity and sustained improvement in psychological well-being indices on the SCL-90, including somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, and phobic anxiety. Additionally, qualitative data revealed positive changes in emotion regulation, emotional self-awareness, and meaning reconstruction of loss, as reported by both clients and the therapist. The results suggest that psychoanalytic Paradoxical Therapy—emphasizing free association and emotional experiencing through structured daily exercises—was highly effective.</p> <p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Six- and twelve-month follow-ups confirmed that therapeutic gains were satisfactory, consistent, and stable over time, with no evidence of relapse. This approach may serve as a promising intervention for complicated and prolonged grief. Further controlled studies are recommended to substantiate these findings.</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> https://journals.kmanpub.com/index.php/jayps/article/download/4476/9270