Comparing the Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral, Acceptance and Commitment, and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Group Therapies on Anxiety Sensitivity in Women with Fibromyalgia
Keywords:
Cognitive-behavioral group therapy, acceptance and commitment group therapy, mindfulness-based stress reduction group therapy, fibromyalgiaAbstract
Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral group therapy, acceptance and commitment group therapy, and mindfulness-based stress reduction on anxiety sensitivity in women with fibromyalgia.
Methods and Materials: A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with a three-month follow-up was employed, including three intervention groups and one control group. The study population consisted of women diagnosed with fibromyalgia attending pain clinics in Shiraz. Eighty-four participants were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to four groups. Each intervention was delivered in eight weekly group sessions. Anxiety sensitivity was assessed using a standardized questionnaire, and data were analyzed using mixed repeated-measures ANOVA.
Findings: Inferential analyses indicated significant main effects of time and significant time×group interactions for physical concerns, social concerns, and the total anxiety sensitivity score. Cognitive-behavioral group therapy produced the greatest and most stable reductions in overall anxiety sensitivity, followed by acceptance and commitment therapy. Mindfulness-based stress reduction led to mean score reductions but did not consistently yield significant between-group differences. No significant effects were found for cognitive control concerns.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that cognitive-behavioral group therapy, and to a lesser extent acceptance and commitment therapy, are more effective in reducing anxiety sensitivity among women with fibromyalgia. These approaches may be prioritized in comprehensive psychological treatment programs for this population.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Armineh Nowzari (Author); Hasan Rezaei Jamalouei; Ahmad Sobhani, Hamidreza Nikyar (Author)
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