Effectiveness of Hope Therapy Based on Cognitive-Spiritual Approach on the Worry and Subjective Burden of Mothers with Children with Cancer Disease

Background and Purpose: The emergence of chronic diseases, such as cancer in children, can seriously damage the mental health of mothers. Accordingly, the present study was conducted with the aim of the effect of hope therapy based on cognitive-spiritual approach on the worry and subjective burden of mothers with a child with cancer. The present study was a quasi-experimental with pretest-post-test and control group. In this study, 30 mothers were selected by purposeful sampling from mothers with a child with cancer living in Lorestan province in 2018. They were randomly assigned into two groups of experimental and control (15 mothers in each group). The experimental group received educational intervention within 3 months in 10 sessions of 90 minutes. To collect data in this study, worry questionnaire (Davy & Wells, 2006) and subjective burden (Zarit, Todd & Zarit, 1980) were used. The results of data analysis using covariance analysis showed that the hope therapy based on cognitive-spiritual approach reduced worry and subjective burden in the mothers of the experimental group (p <0.001). Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that the educational package used in this study, due to the use of hope therapy, cognitive and spiritual approach, has been effective in reducing the level of worry and psychological distress in mothers with a child with cancer.