The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment-based therapy on cognitive regulation of emotion and existential anxiety in patients with multiple sclerosis

Patients with multiple sclerosis face a variety of physical and psychological stressors that reduce their quality of life. Considering the relationship between cognitive regulation of emotion and existential anxiety and diseases of the central nervous system, one of the methods that can help rehabilitate patients with multiple sclerosis is acceptance and commitment-based therapy. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment-based therapy on cognitive regulation of emotion and existential anxiety in patients with multiple sclerosis.

The research design method is quasi-experimental with pre-test-post-test and a control group. The sample consisted of 26 patients with multiple sclerosis in Rasht in 2019 who were selected by convenience sampling and were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. To collect data, the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (|Garnowski et al., 2001) and the Existential Anxiety Questionnaire (Good and Good, 1974) were used in the pre- and post-treatment stages. The experimental group was treated for 8 sessions based on acceptance and commitment, but the control group did not receive any treatment. Research data were analyzed using univariate analysis of covariance.

The results of univariate analysis of covariance showed that group therapy based on acceptance and commitment has an effect on improving cognitive regulation of emotion and existential anxiety in patients with multiple sclerosis (p <0.001). 

Discussion and conclusion

According to the results of this study, acceptance and commitment-based therapy can be effective in improving the cognitive and emotional symptoms of patients with multiple sclerosis.