Effectiveness of spiritual care-based intervention on reducing anxiety and reducing rumination in patients with generalized anxiety disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder is one of the most common anxiety disorders observed in clinical centers and the general population. However, the effectiveness of spiritual care-based intervention in treating the problems caused by this disease has not been considered. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the spiritual care-based intervention on reducing anxiety and reducing rumination in patients with generalized anxiety disorder.

The present study was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design with a control group. From the statistical population, 30 people were selected by convenience sampling, entered the study process after fulfilling the necessary criteria and randomly divided into two groups of 15 experimental and control. The experimental group underwent an intervention based on spiritual care, which was presented in 4 group sessions once a week. Both groups completed the Beck Anxiety and Ruminant Anxiety Inventory (RRS) in two stages before and after the training. Data were analyzed using SPSS 20.

Findings from analysis of covariance showed that the intervention based on spiritual care significantly reduced anxiety and rumination in patients with generalized anxiety disorder in the experimental group compared to the control group (≥P 0/05).

Spiritual care-based intervention can be one of the most effective options in reducing anxiety and rumination in patients with generalized anxiety disorder along with other medication interventions. The findings of this study confirm the acceptability of the theoretical arguments presented in this area.