The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy on emotional self-control, emotional flexibility, and the valued living among women with compulsive buying disorder

Background and Objective: Compulsive buying disorder is a growing and dysfunctional consumer behavior with harmful psychological and financial consequences. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy on emotional self-control, emotional flexibility, and life value among women with compulsive buying disorder. Materials and Methods:The study was of experimental design with, pre-test, post-test, and a control group. Participants included women aged 20-45 years with compulsive buying disorder in Rasht city, who were selected via purposeful sampling method. Compulsive buying disorder was first measured by the Faber & O'guinn questionnaire. Women with compulsive buying disorder were screened, and 60 people who were eligible to study were randomly assigned to two groups. administered and then the Then the questionnaires of emotional self-control, emotional flexibility, and value of life were protocol of acceptance and commitment treatment based on the treatment package in 8 one-hour sessions dor two months was applied to the experimental group, and the control group did not receive treatment, then the post-test was performed. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance and SPSS software version 22.Results:The mean (SD) age of the participants was 37.6 (6.9) in the experimental group, and 38.9 (7.5) in the control group. In the experimental group, the mean (SD) valued living score increased from 67.4 (11.2) in the pre-test to 75.2 (13.5) in the post-test (P<0.001), but in the control group, the difference was not significant. In the experimental group, the mean (SD) score ofthe flexibility score increased from 35.7 (6.2) in the pre-test to 42.2 (7.8) in the post-test (P<0.001), but in the control group the difference was not significant. In the experimental group, the mean (SD) self-control score increased from 28 (3.4) in the pre-test to 39.3 (1.1) in the post-test (P<0.001), but in the control group, the difference was not significant. Conclusion:The acceptance and commitment-based therapy increased emotional self-control, emotional flexibility, and valued living of women with compulsive buying disorder.