Comparison of the Effectiveness of Schema Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Therapy on Illness Perception in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Keywords:
Schema Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Therapy, Illness Perception, Rheumatoid ArthritisAbstract
This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of schema therapy and mindfulness-based therapy in improving illness perception among patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Mashhad during 2025–2026. The present study employed a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with a control group. A total of 45 patients with rheumatoid arthritis who met the inclusion criteria were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to the study groups. Illness perception was assessed using the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire developed by Broadbent et al. (2006). The schema therapy intervention was implemented based on the model proposed by Riso et al. (2008), while the group mindfulness intervention was conducted according to the therapeutic program developed by Teasdale et al. (2018). The data were analyzed using inferential statistical procedures, including repeated-measures analysis of variance, multivariate analysis of covariance, and univariate analyses of covariance within the multivariate analysis of covariance framework. The effects of schema therapy and mindfulness-based therapy on illness perception among patients with rheumatoid arthritis were statistically significant and remained stable over time (p < .05). However, no statistically significant difference was observed between schema therapy and mindfulness-based therapy in terms of their effectiveness in improving illness perception. Group-based schema therapy and mindfulness interventions may be used to improve illness perception in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and, to some extent, reduce the psychological distress experienced by these patients.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Saeid Shad (Author); Mehdi Ghasemi Motlagh; Abolfazal Bakhshipour (Author)
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