The effect of cognitive behavioral counseling on quality of life in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome

Objective (s): The present study aimed to determine the effect of cognitive-behavioral counseling on quality of life in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome. The present randomized controlled clinical study recruited women with polycystic ovarian syndrome attending a teaching hospital affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences in 2017. Participants were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. In addition to the routine treatment techniques، the intervention group received ten sessions of individual cognitive-behavioral counseling at one-week intervals. The quality of life and its dimensions were assessed and compared before and three weeks after the last session of counseling using a valid and reliable questionnaire Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical tests. A total of 44 women with polycystic ovarian syndrome entered into the study (22 in the intervention group and 22 in the control group). The mean age of women was 29. 5±3. 86 years in the intervention group and it was 30. 4±0. 78 years in the control group. No significant difference was found between intervention and control groups in any of the demographic and reproductive characteristics. Pretests showed no significant difference between the two groups in mean scores of quality of life and its dimensions. However، in the posttest and after cognitive-behavioral intervention، mean scores of quality of life and all its dimensions (except for menstruation problems) improved in the intervention group. This improvement also was significant when scores compared to pretest and compared to control group (P<0. 05). The present study showed that cognitive-behavioral counseling improved quality of life in women with polycystic ovariansyndrome.