Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Pain Anxiety, Perfectionism, and Aggression of Women with Fibromyalgia

Document Type : Original Research

Authors
N. Rostamipour 1
F. Rezaeinasab 2
M. Madani Javnqala 3
V. Savabi Niri 4
Z. Bourbour 5
1 Department of Clinical Psychology, Islamic Azad University, South Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran.
2 Department of Clinical Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz Branch, Shiraz, Iran.
3 Department of Clinical Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz Branch, Tabriz, Iran.
4 Department of Clinical Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil Branch, Ardabil, Iran.
5 Department of Clinical Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Garmsar Branch, Garmsar, Iran.
10.22034/IJMPP.9.3.1070
Abstract
Aims: Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and tenderness in localized areas. The objective of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on pain anxiety, perfectionism, and aggression among women diagnosed with fibromyalgia.

Method and Materials: The current research design was semi-experimental with a pretest-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of the research included women with fibromyalgia in Ardabil province of Iran in 2024. In this study, 34 women with fibromyalgia were selected through purposive sampling and divided into experimental (n=17) and control (n=17) groups. The experimental group participated in eight 90-minute sessions of ACT, while the control group did not undergo any intervention. Data collection involved administering the assessment Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale (PASS), Perfectionism Inventory (PI), and Eysenck Aggression Questionnaires (EAQ). The collected data were then analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance in SPSS-27.

Findings: The results showed that ACT significantly decreases cognitive (F=41.42, P=0.001, η2=0.61), avoidance (F=37.21, P=0.001, η2=0.59), fear (F=54.71, P=0.001, η2=0.68), physiological anxiety (F=46.72, P=0.001, η2=0.64), perfectionism (F=63.20, P0.001, η2=0.71), and aggression (F=52.11, P=0.001, η2=0.66) in women with fibromyalgia.

Conclusion: This research offers valuable insights into the effectiveness of ACT in enhancing psychological well-being among women diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Subsequent studies should delve deeper into the enduring effects of ACT and its viability within comprehensive treatment strategies for fibromyalgia, striving to deliver tailored and holistic care for individuals grappling with this complex condition

Keywords

Subjects

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International Journal of Musculoskeletal Pain Prevention
Volume 9, Issue 3
July 2024
Pages 1070-1080