The Efficacy of Paradoxical therapy on Prolonged Grief Disorder and Rumination: A Case Report

Mohammadi, Mobina; Asayesh, Mohammad Hassan

doi:10.22055/psy.2026.50422.3475

The Efficacy of Paradoxical therapy on Prolonged Grief Disorder and Rumination: A Case Report

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Mobina Mohammadi ¹

Mohammad Hassan Asayesh ²

¹ PhD Student in Clinical Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

² Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

10.22055/psy.2026.50422.3475

Abstract

The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of paradoxical therapy in reducing symptoms of prolonged grief and rumination. This research was conducted as a clinical single-case study, using purposive sampling. The client was a 32 year old woman diagnosed with prolonged grief disorder for more than four years, who received treatment at the Psychology Clinic of the University of Tehran. The study employed a baseline–intervention–follow-up design. The therapeutic intervention consisted of four individual sessions based on the principles of paradoxical therapy, with an emphasis on the analytic–paradoxical framework and the use of techniques such as free association and paradoxical scheduling. Assessment tools included a diagnostic interview, the Grief Experience Inventory (GEI), and the Nolen Hoeksema and Morrow Rumination Scale. Findings indicated a marked reduction in the severity of grief symptoms and a sustained improvement in rumination. Additionally, positive changes in emotion regulation, emotional self awareness, and the reconstruction of meaning related to the loss were evident in the client’s reports and the therapist’s evaluations. The results suggest that the paradoxical therapy model was highly effective. Therapeutic gains were maintained at levels exceeding 80% at both the two month and six month follow ups, with no evidence of relapse. Based on these findings, paradoxical therapy may be considered a promising and effective therapeutic approach for the treatment of prolonged grief.

Keywords

Paradoxical Therapy

Prolonged Grief

PTC model

Rumination

Case Study

Subjects