Health and Medical Psychology Clinical Psychology

Comparing the Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Depression, Anxiety, and Quality of Life in Men With Asthma

https://doi.org/10.61838/ijbmc.v13i2.1067
Asthma Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Depression Anxiety

Authors

  • Roya Moinaldini PhD student, Department of Psychology, Emirates Branch, Payame Noor University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
  • Amin Rafiepoor
    rafiepoor@pnu.ac.ir
    Associate Professor, Department of Health Psychology, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.
  • Ezzatollah Kordmirza Nikoozadeh Assistant Professor, Tehran Branch, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.
In Press
Quantitative Study(ies)

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) on depression, anxiety, and quality of life in men with asthma.

Methods and Materials: This quasi-experimental study used a pretest-posttest-follow-up design with a control group. Forty-five male asthma patients aged 20–35 years were recruited from private clinics in Tehran through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to three groups: ACT (n = 15), CBT (n = 15), and control (n = 15). The ACT group received 8 sessions and the CBT group received 12 sessions, each lasting 90 minutes. Outcomes were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory-II, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and WHOQOL-BREF at pretest, posttest, and 3-month follow-up. Data were analyzed using mixed repeated-measures ANOVA.

Findings: Significant multivariate effects were observed for time (Wilks’ Lambda = 0.407, F = 29.9, p = 0.001, η² = 0.593) and group × time interaction (Wilks’ Lambda = 0.564, F = 6.80, p = 0.001, η² = 0.249). Univariate analyses showed significant time × group interactions for depression (F = 51.3, p = 0.001, η² = 0.710), anxiety (F = 29.7, p = 0.001, η² = 0.587), and quality of life (F = 15.6, p = 0.001, η² = 0.426). At posttest and follow-up, both ACT and CBT significantly reduced depression and anxiety and improved quality of life compared with the control group (p < 0.001). ACT was significantly more effective than CBT in reducing anxiety at posttest and follow-up (mean differences = -5.40 and -5.46, respectively, p = 0.012), whereas no significant differences were found between ACT and CBT for depression or quality of life.

Conclusion: Both ACT and CBT were effective in improving psychological symptoms and quality of life in men with asthma, but ACT showed greater efficacy in reducing anxiety. These therapies may be valuable adjuncts to routine asthma care.

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