KMAN Publication Inc. (KMANPUB) Psychology of Woman Journal 3041-8615 In Press 2027 05 01 The Effectiveness of Compassion-Focused Therapy on Mental Toughness and Mental Health in Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder The Effectiveness of Compassion-Focused Therapy on Mental Toughness and Mental Health in Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder 1 15 EN Journal Article 2026 04 03 <p><strong>Objective:</strong> This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy in improving mental toughness and mental health among mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder.</p> <p><strong>Methods and Materials:</strong> This quasi-experimental study used a pretest–posttest control-group design. The statistical population consisted of mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder receiving services from specialized autism centers in Shiraz, Iran. Forty eligible mothers were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to an intervention group and a control group, with 20 participants in each group. The intervention group participated in eight weekly 90-minute group sessions of compassion-focused therapy based on Gilbert’s model, whereas the control group received no structured psychological intervention during the study period. Data were collected using the 48-item Mental Toughness Questionnaire and the 28-item General Health Questionnaire. Mental-health scores were reverse-coded so that higher scores indicated better mental health. The data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance and follow-up univariate analyses of covariance after controlling for pretest scores.</p> <p><strong>Findings:</strong> The multivariate effect of group on the combined dependent variables was statistically significant, Pillai’s Trace = .558, F(2, 35) = 22.13, p &lt; .001, ηp² = .558. Follow-up analyses showed that compassion-focused therapy significantly increased mental toughness, F(1, 37) = 65.48, p &lt; .001, ηp² = .639, and significantly improved mental health, F(1, 37) = 74.16, p &lt; .001, ηp² = .667. The adjusted posttest means for mental toughness and mental health were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group.</p> <p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Compassion-focused therapy was effective in strengthening mental toughness and improving mental health among mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder. By reducing self-criticism, regulating threat-related emotional responses, and cultivating compassionate self-support, this intervention may enhance mothers’ psychological capacity to manage persistent caregiving demands.</p> https://journals.kmanpub.com/index.php/psywoman/article/download/5886/11300