The effect of Feminist Therapy-Based Group Counseling program on women’s psychological empowerment and internalized sexism

Abstract

This study aims to develop and examine the effectiveness of a group counseling program based on feminist therapy to empower women and reduce internalized sexism. The program was designed based on the perspective of consciousness-raising groups, which have an essential place in women’s movements. A quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group was used. The participants of the study were 26 young women, with an average age of 22.50±1.10. Data collection tools included the Internalized Sexism Scale, Woman Psychological Power Scale, and Personal Information Form. Analysis of covariance was used for the data analysis. The results suggested a decrease in internalized sexism levels and an increase in psychological power levels among the participants. These results are important for both mental health and gender studies, and may contribute to future practices and research on psychological and educational interventions to reduce sexism among women.