Comparing the Effects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Reality Therapy on Improving Illness Perception in Women with Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract Background and Objective: Education regarding illness in individuals with chronic diseases is a critical factor in fostering empowerment and enhancing patients' understanding of their conditions. Therefore, this study was designed to compare the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Reality Therapy (RT) in improving illness perception among women with multiple sclerosis (MS). Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental research was conducted using a pretest-posttest design and a ۲-month follow-up with a control group. The research population included all married women with MS in Hamedan in ۲۰۲۳. Of these, ۳ groups of ۱۵ people were selected using the convenience sampling method and randomly divided into experimental and control groups and responded to Broadbent et al.'s Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire in three stages of pre-test, post-test, and follow-up. The subjects in the experimental group were treated with the ACT and RT approaches for a total of eight sessions, with each session lasting ۶۰ minutes and held weekly as a group. In contrast, the control group did not receive any educational intervention. The data were statistically analyzed in SPSS software using a covariance test and a significant level of p<۰.۰۵. Results: The results showed that there was no significant difference between the mean scores of pre-test, post-test, and follow-up illness perception in the three groups. Regarding the between-group factor, the calculated F value was not significant at a level smaller than ۰.۰۵ (Eta=۰.۰۴۸, P<۰.۰۵, F=۱.۰۵۲). As a result, there was no significant difference between the overall mean illness perception in the three experimental and control groups. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, it can be said that ACT and RT lead to improved disease perception in women with MS; however, the effect of RT was greater than that of ACT.

کلیدواژه ها:

Acceptance and Commitment ، Multiple Sclerosis ، Perception of Illness ، Reality Therapy