Empowering Exceptional Children

Empowering Exceptional Children

The Effectiveness of Imago Relationship Therapy on the Resilience of Mothers of Children with Physical-Motor Disabilities

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 M.A. in Psychology and Education of Exceptional Children, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
2 Associate Professor, Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
3 Professor, Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
10.22034/ceciranj.2026.573921.2028
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of Imago Relationship Therapy on the resilience of mothers of children with physical-motor disabilities. The research employed a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of mothers of children studying in special primary schools for children with physical-motor disabilities in Mashhad during the 2024-2025 academic year. Through a public call and based on inclusion criteria, 30 mothers volunteered to participate in the study and were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. Data collection was performed using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). The experimental group received Imago Relationship Therapy in eight weekly 90-minute sessions, while the control group received no intervention during this period. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) via SPSS-27. The results indicated that Imago Relationship Therapy had a significant positive effect on maternal resilience (p < .01), with the effect size ranging from 0.67 to 0.98. The findings demonstrate that Imago Relationship Therapy is effective in significantly increasing the resilience of mothers of children with physical-motor disabilities. Consequently, therapists and counselors are recommended to utilize this approach to enhance resilience in this population.
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  • Receive Date 04 February 2026
  • Revise Date 10 June 2026
  • Accept Date 14 June 2026