Effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral stress management interventions on general health among patients with heart disease

Stress is one of the risk factors for heart diseases. It also reduces general health in patients with heart diseases. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitivebehavioral stress management interventions on general health among patients with heart diseases.Methods and Materials: A total number of 26 patients with heart diseases were selected by convenience sampling method from the rehabilitation unit of Cardiovascular Research Center (Isfahan, Iran). The subjects were randomly assigned into two groups of experimental (n = 13) and control (n = 13). The experimental group received 8 weekly sessions of cognitive-behavioral stress management intervention.The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) was completed in the pretest and posttest phases by the patients of the two groups. Data was analyzed by SPSS16 using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA).

The results of ANCOVA showed that mean general health scores of posttest significantly decreased in the experimental group compared to the control group (P < 0.05).

The results of this study showed that cognitive-behavioral stress management interventions can be used as a useful interventional method for patients with heart diseases.