Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Distress Tolerance and Emotion Regulation in Patients with Generalized Anxiety Disorder

The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on distress tolerance and emotion regulation in patients with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) in ۲۰۲۴ in Tehran. This research employed a quasi-experimental design with pretest–posttest and a control group. The statistical population consisted of clients diagnosed with GAD who were referred to psychotherapy centers in Tehran and were selected through convenience sampling. The experimental group received ACT in eight sessions, while the control group received no intervention. Research instruments included the Distress Tolerance Scale and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, both administered in the pretest and posttest phases for both groups. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA. Findings indicated that ACT significantly increased distress tolerance and improved emotion regulation among individuals with GAD. These results suggest that ACT, by enhancing psychological flexibility, reducing experiential avoidance, and improving emotional processing, can play a significant role in reducing symptoms and emotional difficulties in these patients. Therefore, applying this approach in psychological service centers in Tehran is recommended as an effective method for improving emotional indicators in individuals with GAD.

کلیدواژه ها:

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy ، distress tolerance ، emotion regulation ، generalized anxiety disorder