Background and Objective: Thought-action fusion (TAF) and deficits in social problem-solving skills can contribute to the development of psychological disorders such as depression. The present study aimed to investigate the differences in thought-action fusion and social problem-solving skills between depressed female high school students and their non-depressed peers.
Methods: This study employed a causal-comparative design. The population included all female high school students with depressive symptoms and healthy peers studying in Bushehr in 2023–2024. A simple cluster sampling method was used to select 100 participants, consisting of 50 students with depressive symptoms and 50 non-depressed students who were matched. Data were collected using the Thought-Action Fusion Questionnaire (Pourfaraji et al., 2006), the Social Problem-Solving Questionnaire (Zorla et al.), and the Beck Depression Inventory. Data analysis was conducted using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), Levene’s test, and Box’s test through SPSS software.
Results: Findings indicated a significant difference between depressed and non-depressed students in both thought-action fusion and social problem-solving skills (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: The results demonstrated that the two groups differed significantly on both variables. Specifically, depressed students exhibited higher levels of thought-action fusion and lower social problem-solving abilities compared to their non-depressed peers. These findings highlight the importance of addressing cognitive distortions and enhancing social problem-solving skills to mitigate depressive symptoms and promote psychological well-being among adolescents