Comparing the Effectiveness of Behavioral Activation Therapy with Cognitive-behavioral Therapy based on Mindfulness on Cognitive Regulation of Emotion and Executive Functions in People with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is one of the serious psychological disorders that can hinder the normal functioning of the affected person, so it should be treated. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of behavioral activation therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy based on mindfulness on cognitive regulation of emotion and executive functions in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

This semi-experimental study was a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population included 42 patients suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder in Karaj city in 2022. The sample randomly assigned to three groups: behavioral activation therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy based on mindfulness, and a control group. Garnevsky et al.'s (2006) and Najati's (2013) executive function questionnaires were used to measure the effectiveness of treatments. Descriptive statistics and multivariate covariance analysis were used for data analysis using SPSS-18 software.

There is a statistically significant difference between the effectiveness of behavioral activation therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy based on mindfulness on cognitive regulation strategies adapted to emotions (F=57.71, p=0.001), but these two treatment methods improve the executive functions of patients. It has not been effective.

It can be claimed that the treatment based on behavioral and cognitive-behavioral activation based on mindfulness has been able to increase adapted cognitive strategies in people suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder, but it has not been effective on the executive functions of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Therefore, through these two treatments, it is possible to increase cognitive regulation in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder