Comparison of the Effectiveness of the Package Therapy Based on Psychological Factors Associated with Parkinson's Disease and the Memory Specificity Training (MEST) on the Mood of these Patients

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that causes motor and non-motor symptoms. Non-motor symptoms such as mood disorders severely affect patients' quality of life. The interrelationship of multiple non-motor symptoms with each other makes comprehensive therapies necessary to simultaneously address different psychological aspects of patients. The present study was performed to compare the effectiveness of the treatment package based on psychological factors related to Parkinson's disease and memory specificity training (MEST) on the mood of these patients. The study was a quasi-experimental with a pre-test-post-test design along with a control group. 18 Parkinson's patients were eligible to participate in the study, so the selection of sample subjects was nonprobability and they were randomly assigned to three groups. Due to the possible discrepancies between the groups and to adjust it, the method of analysis of covariance was used and pre-test scores were taken. Groups were matched by gender. Data collection measures were the autobiographical memory test (AMT) and Beck's Depression Inventory- second edition (BDI-II). Data were analyzed by the covariance method and SPSS v.25 software. Data analysis showed that the mean level of depression increased in the control group, while in the package therapy and MEST groups the level of depression decreased. Data analysis showed that the mean mood scores in the post-test only in the MEST group were significantly different from the control group (P <0.05). There was no significant difference in the mean mood scores of the package therapy and control groups in the post-test; however, the mean mood scores in the two groups of package therapy and MEST were not significant. According to the research findings, MEST can be effective as a multidisciplinary intervention in improving the mood of Parkinson's patients. Supporting the effect of the treatment package based on psychological factors on mood requires further research.