Comparison of the Effectiveness of Group-Based Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on Experiential Avoidance in Married Patients with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Counseling and Educational Sciences Department, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran

2 Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

3 Assistant professor. Department of Education, Islamic Azad University. Torbat-e-Jam Branch. ‎Torbat-e-Jam. Iran

4 Department of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

10.22038/jfmh.2025.81592.3148

Abstract

Objective: The current study aimed to compare the effectiveness of group-based Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on experiential avoidance in married patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Materials and Methods: The current study is an applied, quasi-experimental research, conducted in a pre-test, post-test, control group design. The statistical population of the study includes all patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) who referred to the MS Comprehensive Center of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in 2022 and have medical records. From the statistical population, using a purposive and available sampling method and based on the scores of the Acceptance and Commitment Questionnaire (ACT) by Bond et al (2011) in the pre-test, 24 patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected and randomly assigned to three groups of 8 each (groups A, B, and C) (2 experimental groups and one control group). Group A received group therapy based on compassion-focused therapy (CFT), group B received Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and group C was the control group and received no treatment. To analyze the research data, Analysis of variance with repeated measures, were used.

Results: Results indicated a significant difference between the means of both compassion-focused therapy (CFT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) compared to the control group. In other words, both interventions were significantly effective in experiential avoidance (p<0.01).

Conclusion: Results demonstrated that both compassion-focused therapy (CFT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) are sustainable interventions for reducing experiential avoidance

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Journal of Fundamentals of Mental Health

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 17 March 2025

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