Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Pain Appraisal and Pain Acceptance in Patients with Advanced Cancer

https://doi.org/10.61838/ijbmc.v12i7.993
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Pain Appraisal Pain Acceptance Cancer

Authors

  • Monir Cheraghi Ph.D. student, Department of Health Psychology, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran.
  • Javad Khalatbari
    Javadkhalatbaripsy2@gmail.com
    Department of Psychology, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran.
  • Hasan Ahadi Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran.
In Press
Quantitative Study(ies)

Objective: To evaluate whether Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) improves pain-related outcomes—specifically pain appraisal/perception and pain acceptance—among individuals with advanced cancer receiving care at a tertiary hospital.

Methods and Materials: Using a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with a parallel control and a 4-week follow-up, thirty adults with advanced cancer were recruited via convenience sampling and randomized to ACT (n=15) or wait-list control (n=15). The ACT group received eight weekly, 90-minute group sessions based on the Hayes–Strosahl–Wilson protocol (acceptance, cognitive defusion, present-moment awareness, self-as-context, values, committed action). Outcomes were assessed at baseline, post-treatment, and follow-up with the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ). Data were analyzed in SPSS (v24) using repeated-measures ANOVA with Mauchly’s test and Greenhouse–Geisser corrections as required; α=.05.

Findings: Significant main effects of time and group and a robust time×group interaction indicated differential change favoring ACT across measurement occasions (Group: F=26.83, p<.001, partial η²≈.49; Time: F=22.61, p<.001; Interaction: F=17.31, p<.001, partial η²≈.38). Post-hoc (Bonferroni) comparisons showed clinically meaningful improvement in the ACT group from pretest to posttest that was maintained at the 4-week follow-up, while the control group showed no significant change. Patterns were consistent with enhanced pain acceptance and more adaptive appraisal of pain following ACT.

Conclusion: ACT, delivered as a brief group intervention, is associated with sustained improvement in pain acceptance and pain appraisal among patients with advanced cancer. Integrating ACT into palliative and supportive oncology services may enhance psychological flexibility and quality of life alongside medical pain management.