Transactions on Data Analysis in Social Science

Transactions on Data Analysis in Social Science

The Effectiveness of Group-Based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Depression and Marital Satisfaction in Women with Infertility

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Z. Mortezaei Karahroodi 1
M. Ali Akbari Dehkordi 2
1 Ph.D. Student in Health Psychology, Payame Noor University, Dubai Branch, UAE.
2 Professor, Department of Psychology, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.
10.47176/TDASS.2022.182
Abstract
The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of group-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on depression and marital satisfaction among infertile women in Tehran. Using a quasi-experimental design, a randomized controlled trial was conducted with assessments at baseline, post-intervention, and a two-month follow-up, including a control group. A total of 24 women diagnosed with infertility were recruited through convenience sampling from the infertility ward of Shariati Hospital in Tehran and randomly assigned to the experimental group (n = 12) and the control group (n = 12). The experimental group received ten sessions of ACT. All participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory and the Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire at three time points: baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). The findings indicated significant differences between the experimental and control groups in depression and marital satisfaction after the intervention and at the two-month follow-up. Group-based ACT led to a reduction in depression and an improvement in marital satisfaction among infertile women, both immediately after the intervention and during follow-up.
Keywords
Infertile Women
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Depression
Marital Satisfaction
  • Aflatoonian, A., Seyedhassani, M., & Tabibnejad, N. (2009). The epidemiological and etiological aspects of infertility in Yazd Province of Iran. Iranian Journal of Reproductive Medicine, 7(3), 115–120.
  • Carreño-Meléndez, J., Morales-Carmona, F., Sánchez-Bravo, C., Henales-Almaraz, C., & Espindola-Hernández, L. (2007). An explanation of depression and anxiety symptoms in sterile women. Ginecología y Obstetricia de México, 75(3), 133–141.
  • Lok, I. H., Lee, D. T., Cheung, L. P., Chung, W. S., Lo, W. K., & Haines, C. J. (2002). Psychiatric morbidity amongst infertile Chinese women undergoing treatment with assisted reproductive technology and the impact of treatment failure. Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation, 54(4), 267–271. https://doi.org/10.1159/000064560
  • Kabirnzhad, S., Mahmoud-Aliloo, M., & Hashemi, T. (2004). Predicting changes in process parameters: Emotional cognition, worry, perfectionism, and disorder types. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 1(1), 47–55.
  • Lovibond, S. H., & Lovibond, P. F. (1995). The structure of negative emotional states: Comparison of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) with the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 33(3), 335–343. https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-7967(94)00075-U
  • Baumann, M., Ionescu, I., & Chau, N. (2011). Psychological quality of life and its association with academic employability skills among newly registered students from three European faculties. BMC Psychiatry, 11, 63. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-11-63
  • Bakhtiar, M. (2000). Psychiatric disorders in patients with body dysmorphic disorder (Master’s thesis). Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran Psychiatric Institute.
  • Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2003). The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(4), 822–848. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.4.822
  • Masoumian, S., & Shaeiri, A. (2012). The efficacy of a mindfulness-based stress reduction program on depression in women with chronic low back pain. Journal of Bihoshi and Pain, 10(3), 18–24.
  • Peterson, B. D. (2002). Examining the individual and dyadic coping processes of men and women in infertile couples and their relationship to infertility stress, marital adjustment, and depression (Doctoral dissertation). [University name].
  • Rayka, M. (2001). The psychological impact of infertility and IVF: The psychological aspects of infertility. In Review Symposium Proceedings (pp. 36–42). Avicenna Research Institute, Tehran.
  • Sreshthaputra, O., Sreshthaputra, R., & Vutyavanich, T. (2008). Gender differences in infertility-related stress and the relationship between stress and social support in Thai infertile couples. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand, 91(12), 1769–1773.
  • Bagheri, P., Saadati, N., Fathollahzadeh, N., & Darbani, S. A. (2016). Effectiveness of group-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on self-efficacy and social adjustment in retired elderly. Journal of Geriatric Nursing, 3(2), 103–117. https://doi.org/10.21859/jgn.3.2.103
  • Rasouli-Alibadi, B., & Kalantari, M. (2018). Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on depression, self-esteem, and infertility-related worry after the first childbirth in women of Kashan. Scientific Journal of Hamadan Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, 26(2), 103–110. https://doi.org/10.30699/sjhnmf.26.2.103
  • Mazaheri, H., Heydari, F., Fathi, A., Ahmadi, R., & Hosseini, S. (2012). The effect of group-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) training on occupational stress and burnout. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, 19(2), 109–120.
  • Hayes, S. C. (2014). Six core processes in ACT: The model of psychological flexibility (A. Feyzi, Trans.). Retrieved from http://www.mrmz.ir
  • Irandoost, F., Neshatdoost, H. T., & Nadi, M. A. (2014). The effect of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on quality of life in women with chronic low back pain. Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 8(1), 89–96.
  • Hayes, S. C. (2004). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Relational frame theory, and the third wave of behavioral and cognitive therapies. Behavior Therapy, 35(4), 639–665. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7894(04)80013-3
  • Johns, L. C., Oliver, J. E., Khondoker, M., Byrne, M., Jolley, S., Wykes, T., … & ACT for Life Study Group. (2016). The feasibility and acceptability of a brief Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) group intervention for people with psychosis: The “ACT for life” study. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 50, 257–263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbtep.2015.10.001
  • Öst, L. G. (2014). The efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 61, 105–121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2014.07.018
  • Zettle, R. D. (2007). ACT for depression: A clinician’s guide to using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in treating depression. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
  • Harris, R. (2006). Embracing your demons: An overview of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Psychotherapy in Australia, 21(4), 2–8.
  • Kyriacou, D. N., Anglin, D., & Talhameferrro, E. (1999). Risk factors for injury to women from domestic violence. New England Journal of Medicine, 341(25), 1892–1898. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199912163412505
  • Sayrs, S. L., Kohn, C., Fresco, D. M., & Sarwer, D. B. (2001). Marital cognitions and depression in the context of marital discord. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 25(6), 713–732. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1012967222638
  • Abettan, I. (2007). Couple therapy and depression. Retrieved from http://www.psybermentor.com/Ressources/Textes/Ingrin_Abitan_Couple_Therapy_and_Depression.pdf
  • Johanson, S. M. (2003). The revolution in couple therapy. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 29(3), 348–365. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-0606.2003.tb01213.x
  • Riso, L. P., Blandino, J. A., Hendricks, E., Granta, M. M., & Duin, J. S. (2002). Marital history and current marital satisfaction in chronic depression. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 32(4), 291–296. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020576927809
  • Beach, S. R. H., Fincham, F. D., & Katz, J. (1998). Marital therapy in treatment of depression: Toward a third generation of therapy and research. Clinical Psychology Review, 18(6), 635–661. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-7358(98)00023-3
  • Sharifi, V., Assadi, M., & Mohammadi, M. (2004). Validity and reliability of the Persian version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-I). Quarterly News of Cognitive Science, 6(2), 8–22.
  • Smeenk, J. M., Verhaak, C. M., & Vingerhoets, A. J. (2005). Stress and outcome success in IVF: The role of self-reports and endocrine variables. Human Reproduction, 20(4), 991–996. https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/deh739
Transactions on Data Analysis in Social Science
Volume 4, Issue 4
Autumn 2022
Pages 182-190

  • Receive Date 26 July 2022
  • Revise Date 07 October 2022
  • Accept Date 13 December 2022