The Islamic-based self-control and emotion regulation intervention for adolescents’ masturbation: A single subject study

Introduction: Masturbation is a challenging issue with varying prevalence rates in different societies. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of an intervention program based on self-control, emotion regulation, and Islamic teachings in treating adolescent masturbation.   Materials and Methods: This single case study was conducted in 2018 with a purposeful sampling to recruit two participants from female high school counseling centers in Mashhad- Iran (single girls aged 16 and 17). Both participants had been masturbating for at least a year and received eight individual psychotherapy sessions. Data were collected using the Emotional Control Questionnaire (ERQ) and Masturbation Scale. The A-B-A design with a recovery index and effect size was used for data analysis. Data were analyzed using graph analysis and the recovery percentage method. The Blanchard and Schwarz’s recovery percentage formula was used to analyze data from single-case experimental designs. In this formula, the difference between the pre-test and post-test scores is divided by the pre-test score.   Results: According to recovery percentage formula, 50% or more improvement is significant. The improvement will be clinically significant if a person’s post-test score is lower than the cut-off point. Thus, the Islamic-based self-control and emotion regulation intervention was effective in breaking the habit of masturbation in both participants, who also showed significant mental health improvements. After completing the treatment and follow-up periods, both participants demonstrated improved levels of masturbation frequency and emotion regulation.   Conclusion: Based on the results, it seems that Islamic-based self-control and emotion regulation can effectively treat adolescents’ masturbation.