Hajsadeghi Z., Bassak Nejad, S., & Razmjoo, S. (2017). The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment group therapy on depression and anxiety among women with breast cancer. Pajouhan Scientific Journal, 15(4), 42-49. https://doi.org/10.21859/psj.15.4.42
Introduction: Acceptance and commitment therapy is a third generation behavior therapy in treatment of mood and anxiety disorders. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment group therapy on depression and anxiety among women with breast cancer in the Ahvaz city.
Methods: In this Quasi-Experimental study with pre-test and post-test, control group, the sample group was selected by available sampling method from women with breast cancer who referred to Golestan hospital, the department of clinical oncology of Ahvaz. All patients had finished their chemotherapy. Thirty patients that have had high depression and anxiety scores with high acceptance and action scores in pre-test qustionnaires were chosen and randomly assigned to two control and experimental groups (each group with 15 subjects). The experimental group experienced the treatment based on commitment and acceptance group therapy and the control group did not receive any treatment. These questionnaires again conducted on both group in post-test.
Results: The results of pre-test, post-test, and follow-up exams showed that the mean depression scores (19.27, 16.13, and 15.53) and the mean anxiety scores (35.20, 29.20, and 28.13) significantly decreased in experimental group compared to the control group respectively. The decrease significantly continued after two-month fallow-up (depression P<0.026 and anxiety P<0.042).
Conclusion: The results emphasize the importance of using acceptance and commitment therapy in patients with cancer suffering from depression and/or anxiety, and offer new horizons to psychological based clinical interventions in these patients.