The Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Psychological Distress and Self-Care in Patients with Hypertension
Keywords:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Psychological Distress, Self-Care, HypertensionAbstract
The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on psychological distress and self-care among patients with hypertension. The research method was quasi-experimental, employing a pretest–posttest design with a control group. The statistical population of this study consisted of patients with hypertension who were referred to the Arsam Psychological Services and Counseling Center in the city of Tonekabon during the first six months of 2026. From this population, 30 participants were selected through convenience sampling and were randomly assigned into two groups: an experimental group (15 participants) and a control group (15 participants). In this study, the Psychological Distress Questionnaire and the Self-Care Questionnaire were used. Subsequently, the participants in the experimental group received Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for 8 weeks in weekly 60-minute sessions, while the control group received no specific intervention. The findings indicated that the mean scores of psychological distress and self-care among patients in the posttest were significantly different from those in the pretest in the experimental group. Therefore, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy has an effect on psychological distress and self-care among patients with hypertension.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Mahdiyeh Almasi Nahanji , Melika Alipour (Author); Eshagh SamKhaniani; Mahsa Ghasemi , Atefeh Haghighat (Author)
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