Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy on Perceived Stress in Students with Shyness

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) on perceived stress in students with shyness. Methodology: This research employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group and a follow-up phase. The statistical population consisted of all undergraduate students with shyness at the Islamic Azad University, Sari Branch, who were enrolled during the first semester of the 2023–2024 academic year. The sample included 30 students who met the inclusion criteria and expressed willingness to participate in therapy. They were purposefully selected and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) developed by Cohen was administered to both groups. The experimental group received nine 60-minute sessions of group cognitive-behavioral therapy, while the control group was placed on a waiting list. After the intervention, the same questionnaire was re-administered to both groups. The data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. In the descriptive section, minimum and maximum scores, means, and standard deviations were reported. For inferential statistics, multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) were conducted to compare the pretest and posttest mean scores between groups, using SPSS version 25. Findings: The results indicated that cognitive-behavioral therapy significantly reduced perceived stress in students with shyness (p < .001). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that cognitive-behavioral therapy can effectively reduce perceived stress in students with shyness and can be utilized as a practical method in psychological interventions for this population.