Therapeutic Effects of Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy on Headache Disability and Depression in Patients with Migraine and Tension Headache

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral group therapy on undesirable impacts of recurrent headaches, such as headache disability and depression in the every day life of patients with headache. 20 individuals were selected based on the diagnosis of a neurologist and International Headache Society’s diagnostic criteria for migraine and tension headache, from among female students of Shiraz University. The subjects participated in 90-minute treatment sessions held once a week for 9 weeks. Headache Disability Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory were used in this study. Participants completed the questionnaires in pretest, mid-test, and post-test conditions. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance. Cognitive behavioral group therapy significantly decreased the disability and depression in patients with headache (p<0.001). Cognitive-behavioral group therapy can be used for the treatment of the impacts of migraine and tension headaches such as depression and disability, either alone, or in combination with other treatment methods such as phar-macological treatment.