Evaluation of the Effect of Spiritual Therapy based on Positive Thinking on Depression and Fatigue in Women with Beta Thalassemia Major in Khorramabad, Iran

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of spiritual therapy based on positive thinking in depression and fatigue among women with Beta thalassemia major in Khorramabad, Iran.

This quasi-experimental study was conducted using a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population of this study included all women with Beta thalassemia major referred to Shahid Madani Hospital, Khorramabad, Iran, in 2021. The participants were willing to participate in this study, and they were selected (n=40) using the convenience sampling method and then randomly assigned to the experimental (n=20) and the control groups (n=20). The experimental group received 12 sessions of 90-minute spiritual therapy intervention based on positive thinking (through challenging negative thoughts, the psychological effects of communication and prayer with God, as well as patience and spiritual thinking). In the present research, the spiritual therapy based on positive thinking was based on the spiritual therapy of Vaziri and Kashani, as well as positive thinking by Seligman, Rashid, and Parks. Lane et al.’s Mood States Questionnaire (2007) was used to collect the required data in this study.

Multivariate and univariate analysis of covariance was used to analyze statistical data and test research hypotheses. The results of this study showed that spiritual therapy based on positive thinking improved depression and fatigue in women with Beta thalassemia major in the experimental group (P<0.001).

According to the results of this study, spiritual therapy based on positive thinking is effective in reducing depression and fatigue in patients with thalassemia major. Therefore, it is recommended that counselors and therapists use this therapy based on positive thinking to reduce depression and fatigue.