behavioral activation therapy

One of the common problems of menopause is the decrease in sexual ability and sexual dysfunction, which can reduce the quality of life of women. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of determining the effectiveness of “Behavioral Activation Therapy” on sexual self-concept and intimacy in relationships of postmenopausal women with sexual dysfunction.

The current research was of semi-experimental type with pre-test-post-test with control group and 45 days’ follow-up. The statistical population of the present study included all postmenopausal women with sexual dysfunction who referred to specialized treatment centers in the field of sexual dysfunction located in Isfahan city in 2023. A statistical sample of specialized treatment centers in the field of sexual disorders in the city of Isfahan according to the convenience method, the number of 30 postmenopausal women over 50 years of age with sexual dysfunction diagnosed by a clinical psychologist's diagnostic interview and scoring less than 28 out of 36 points "Female Sexual Function Index" were selected by purposeful sampling. Then they were randomly assigned to “Behavioral Activation Therapy” and control groups (15 people in each group). Data collection was done with demographic questionnaire, "Multidimensional Sexual Self-Concept Questionnaire" and "Personal Assessment of Intimacy in Relationships". For the intervention group, 8 sessions 90-minute of “Behavioral Activation Therapy (2 sessions per week) were performed. After the completion of the intervention, a post-test and follow-up was conducted 45 days later. Data were analyzed in SPSS. 23.

There was a significant difference between the intervention group and the control group in the two variables of sexual self-concept and intimacy in relationships, in the post-test and follow-up stages. Therefore, the intervention was effective in improving sexual self-concept and intimacy in relationships of postmenopausal women with sexual dysfunction (P<0.05).

“Behavioral Activation Therapy" improves sexual self-concept and intimacy in relationships in postmenopausal women with sexual dysfunction. It is suggested to use “Behavioral Activation Therapy" in health care centers and counseling centers to improve the psychological variables related to the sexual performance of postmenopausal women.

Self-injurious and self-critical behaviors play an important role in bipolar disorder as basic variables. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of behavioral activation therapy and dialectical behavior therapy on self-criticism and self-injurious behaviors of 18-12-year-olds with bipolar disorder.

This research was a semi-experimental type of pre-test and post-test with a control group. The research population consisted of 18-12-year-olds with bipolar disorder in Tehran in 1400, which was selected from this population by purposive sampling from Tehran's Imam Hossein Hospital, Saadat Abad Clinic, and Qayim Shahr Clinic and based on a structured clinical interview. 60 teenagers were selected and placed in two experimental groups and a control group, 20 teenagers in each group (first experiment: dialectical behavior therapy), (second experiment: behavioral activation therapy) and control group. Klonsky and Glenn (2009) self-injurious behavior questionnaire and Thompson and Zuraf (2004) self-criticism questionnaire were used to collect data. Data analysis was done with the statistical method of covariance analysis and Bonferroni follow-up test at a significance level of 0.05 and with SPSS.21 software.

The results of the research showed that behavioral activation therapy and dialectical behavior therapy have an effect on self-criticism and self-harmful behaviors and have reduced self-criticism and self-harmful behaviors. The results of the Bonferroni test showed that dialectical therapy has a greater effect on self-criticism and self-injurious behaviors in adolescents with bipolar disorder than behavioral activation therapy (P<0.05).

behavioral activation therapy and dialectical behavior therapy play an important role in reducing self-criticism

One of the common problems in physically-motor disabled people is psychological distress, defects in executive function and cognitive flexibility, which causes many negative consequences for these people, so the present study aims to determine the effectiveness of behavioral activation on performance. Executive and cognitive flexibility in physical-motor disabled people with psychological distress was done.

Methods and Materials: 

The current research was a semi-experimental type with a pre-test and a post-test with a control group. The statistical population included all mild to moderate physical-motor disabilities who had a file in the welfare department of Babol city in 1401. Among them, 30 people were selected by the available sampling method and were replaced randomly and by lottery in two experimental and control groups (15 people in the experimental group and 15 people in the control group). The experimental group received behavioral activation therapy (8 sessions) and one session every week for 90 minutes, and the control group did not receive any intervention during this period. The research questionnaires included Barkley's implementation performance questionnaire (2011), Dennis and Vanderwaal's (2010) cognitive flexibility questionnaire, and Lavibond and Lavibond's (1995) psychological disturbance questionnaire. For data analysis, univariate covariance analysis was used with SPSS version 25 software.

Our findings can be useful for selecting and designing the most appropriate treatment approach according to the needs of physical-motor disabled people with psychological distress.

According to the findings, it can be stated that investigating the effectiveness of behavioral activation therapy is effective in increasing the executive function and cognitive flexibility of physically-motor disabled people with psychological distress.

Self-care behaviors are the most common behavioral response in attempts to prevent corona stress in patients with diabetes. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the effectiveness of positive thinking skills training and behavioral activation therapy on self-care and corona stress in patients with diabetes mellitus.

This was a semi-experimental study using a pretest-posttest and follow-up design with experimental and control groups. The statistical population included all the diabetic patients referring to the Vanoshe Diabetes Clinic in Qaemshahr city, Iran in 2020-2021, from among whom 45 patients were selected by accessible sampling technic based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria and randomly divided into three 15-member groups, namely,  positive thinking skills training, behavioral activation therapy and a control group. The first and second experimental groups received positive thinking skills training in six 60-minute virtual sessions and behavioral activation therapy training in eight 70-minute virtual sessions, respectively, and the control group was in the waiting list. Data were collected using the Corona Stress Scale "CSS-18" and the Summery of Diabetes Self-Care Activities "SDSCA" and analyzed using the repeated measures of variance analysis and the Bonferroni post hoc test with SPSS-22.

The findings revealed that there was a significant difference between the two experimental groups and the control group. Both the positive thinking skills training and behavioral activation therapy interventions reduced corona stress (F= 15.73) and increased self-care (F= 16.17) in the patients, and the effects of the interventions in the follow-up phase were found to be continuing (p <0.05). In addition, the results of Bonferroni post hoc test showed that positive thinking skills raining was more effective than behavioral activation therapy on corona stress reduction (IJ= 9.02), while as regards self-care the behavioral activation therapy (IJ= 12.93) was more effective (p <0.05).

Based on the findings it can be concluded that positive thinking skills training and behavioral activation therapy interventions can be effective in improving self-care and corona stress reduction among diabetic patients. It is recommended that therapists and counselors use, in addition to other treatment methods, these therapies to improve the self-care and corona stress reduction in diabetic patients.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is one of the serious psychological disorders that can hinder the normal functioning of the affected person, so it should be treated. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of behavioral activation therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy based on mindfulness on cognitive regulation of emotion and executive functions in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

This semi-experimental study was a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population included 42 patients suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder in Karaj city in 2022. The sample randomly assigned to three groups: behavioral activation therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy based on mindfulness, and a control group. Garnevsky et al.'s (2006) and Najati's (2013) executive function questionnaires were used to measure the effectiveness of treatments. Descriptive statistics and multivariate covariance analysis were used for data analysis using SPSS-18 software.

There is a statistically significant difference between the effectiveness of behavioral activation therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy based on mindfulness on cognitive regulation strategies adapted to emotions (F=57.71, p=0.001), but these two treatment methods improve the executive functions of patients. It has not been effective.

It can be claimed that the treatment based on behavioral and cognitive-behavioral activation based on mindfulness has been able to increase adapted cognitive strategies in people suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder, but it has not been effective on the executive functions of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Therefore, through these two treatments, it is possible to increase cognitive regulation in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

Depression is one of the most important psychological problems in society that reduces their health. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy with behavioral activation therapy on learned helplessness and cognitive emotion regulation in individuals with depressive symptoms.

The present study was a quasi-experimental pretest and posttest with two experimental groups and a control group. The statistical population of the study included all people with depression in Babol who referred to psychotherapy clinics in 2021. Forty-five subjects who scored above-average on the Beck Depression Inventory were randomly selected and randomly assigned to three groups of 15 responding to the Garnfsky Emotion Cognitive Regulation and Queens and Nelson Learned Helplessness Questionnaire. Analysis of covariance and Benferoni test using SPSS-23 software were used to analyze the results.  

The results showed that there was no significant difference between the effect of two methods of behavioral methodology and behavioral activation on learned helplessness (P<0.277) and cognitive emotion regulation (P<0.188). Similarly, they affect learned helplessness and cognitive emotion regulation (P<0.001).

cognitive-behavioral therapy and behavioral activation therapy can be used to reduce learned helplessness and emotion regulation in patients with depression.

Psoriasis has a wide range of mental health effects due to its clinical features and physical presentations. Psoriasis is associated with depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and negative body image. Body image includes a person's feelings about the characteristics and structure of the body. A negative body image is formed when a person experiences a negative evaluation or is ridiculed by others. High anxiety scores are always seen in patients with psoriasis. Depression is the most common mental disorder worldwide and is one of the major causes of disability. Psoriasis and depression reinforce each other. Many researchers have suggested a broader role for psychiatric and psychotherapeutic interventions to reduce the symptoms and severity of skin diseases. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of behavioral activation therapy and metacognitive therapy on body image concern, anxiety, and depression in psoriasis patients.

This research was quasi–experimental with a pretest–posttest design and a control group. The study's statistical population include all psoriasis patient referring to dermatology clinics in Razavi and Emam Reza (PBUH) hospitals in Mashhad City, Iran, in 2019. Of whom, 45 patients who obtained a higher score than the cut–off point in Body Image Concern Inventory (BICI) (Littleton et al., 2005), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM–A) (Hamilton, 1959), and Beck Depression Inventory–II (BDI–II) (Beck et al., 1996) were selected with available sampling method and randomly assigned to two experimental groups (15 in behavioral activation therapy, 15 in metacognitive therapy) and one control group. The inclusion criteria were as follows: providing informed consent to receive psychological treatment, having psoriasis, being between 15 and 45 years old, and obtaining a score higher than the cut–off point in the mentioned measurement scales. The exclusion criteria were the patient's lack of consent to receive psychological treatment, absence of more than two sessions, and not answering the questionnaires completely. The experimental groups underwent behavioral activation and metacognitive therapy in 8 sessions during 2 months, while the control group received no intervention. The participants completed Body Image Concern Inventory (BICI) (Littleton et al., 2005), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM–A) (Hamilton, 1959), and Beck Depression Inventory–II (BDI–II) (Beck et al., 1996). Descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (univariate analysis of covariance and Bonferroni post hoc test) were used to analyze the research data. Data were analyzed in SPSS software version 26 at a significance level of less than 0.05.

After controlling the effect of the pretest, findings showed significant differences between the experimental groups and control group in body image concern (p<0.001), anxiety (p<0.001), and depression (p<0.001). There were no significant differences between the behavioral activation and metacognitive therapy groups in depression (p=0.821) and anxiety (p=0.192). Still, there was a significant difference between behavioral activation and metacognitive therapy in body image concern (p=0.047). Behavioral activation was more effective in body image concern.

According to the result, behavioral activation therapy and metacognitive therapy have a significant effect on reducing body image concern, anxiety, and depression in psoriasis patients. The use of these therapies by therapists seems essential. Also, the effectiveness of behavioral activation therapy in reducing body image concerns is more than metacognitive therapy.

Breast cancer psychologically affects women more than other cancers. Further, it is the most common cause of cancer deaths in women. The present study aims to determine the effect of behavioral therapy on rumination and pain-related anxiety in women with breast cancer.

This research was a semi-experimental posttest-pretest control group design with a 45-days follow-up. For this purpose, among women with breast cancer referred to cancer clinics of Isfahan in the spring of 2018, 24 people were selected by the convenience sampling method and randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups (12 in each). The participants responded to the questionnaires of the rumination (Nullen et al.) and the pain-associated anxiety (McCraken et al.). Subjects in the experimental group received behavioral activation therapy in 8 sessions of 90 minutes once a week.

Results of variance analysis for repeated measures showed that the interaction of time effect and group membership in rumination and anxiety dimensions related to pain was significant (p < 0.05(. The results also showed a significant difference between behavioral activation therapy and control group in research variables in both posttest (except for posttest of physiological symptoms) and follow-up (p < 0.05(.

According to this research results, behavioral activation therapy can be used to improve pain-related psychological variables in people with breast cancer.

Numerous studies have shown that the prevalence of depression is high among Iranian students and therefore it is necessary to try to reduce it through different methods. This study endeavored to examine and comparing the effectiveness of psychological capital training and behavioral activation therapy on depression among female students of University of Isfahan dormitories in the second semester of the academic years 2018-2019.

The research design was quasi-experimental, pre-test and post-test with control group. Beck Depression Inventory (1961) was used to measure depression. The population included female students of dormitories of University of Isfahan in the second semester of the academic years 2018-2019. The sample size was 45 students who were selected by purposive sampling. Initially, the pre-test was conducted on 45 volunteers. They were then randomly assigned to experimental groups 1 and 2 and control group. Then, the two experimental groups received behavioral activation therapy and psychological capital training, respectively, but the control group not received intervention. After the intervention, post-test was administered for the three groups. Data were analyzed through covariance analysis.

The results showed significant difference between the post-test depression scores of the groups (P=0.002, F=7.73); paired comparisons showed that both psychological capital training (7.46±2.28) and as compared to the control group, behavioral activation therapy (7.82±2.27) reduced depression significantly (15.50±2.38) (P= 0.002, -8.14 and P=0.002,-7.78, respectively), but the two intervention groups did not differ significantly in depression scores.

Both behavioral activation therapy and psychological capital training reduced depression. Therefore, both types of interventions can be used to reduce dormitory studentschr('39') depression.

Motivational beliefs are a set of personal and social criteria that are influenced by different factors and in different situations. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of behavioral activation therapy on motivational beliefs (internal motivation, self–efficacy, test anxiety) in female students with depression.

This is a semi–experimental pre–test post–test with control group. A statistical population of all female high school students with major depression who referred to psychiatric services clinics in Mashhad in the second six months of 2018 was selected by a sampling method and randomly assigned to two experimental groups And evidence were replaced. The research tools consist of structured clinical interviews with Fares et al (1996), Beck Depression Inventory (1996), and Pentirich et al. (1993). Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 22 and multivariate analysis of covariance analysis.

The results showed that the mean and standard deviation of the internal motivation of the experimental group before and after the intervention were 14.21±2.38, 16.21±2.39 and 16.21±2.39 respectively; the self–efficacy before and after the intervention was 38.54±2.32 43.76±2.81 and test anxiety before and after the intervention were 30.43±2.35, 27.67±2.17, respectively. Also, the effect size of the internal motivation score was 0.801 (p<0.001), self–efficacy was 0.332 (p<0.001) and test anxiety was 391 (p<0.001).

Behavioral activation therapy has been effective in increasing internal motivation and self–efficacy and decreasing test anxiety in students with depression.

In depression, the afflicted person is in risk of mental breakdown and his mental coherence is endangered. Two important psychological mechanism that seem to be important factors for susceptibility to depression and its continuity are emotional dysregulation and ego strength. This study aims to test the effectiveness of group behavioral activation on emotion dysregulation and ego strength in depressed people. for this purpose, in a quasi‐experimental research design with pretest, post-test and a control group, 30 patients were selected using convenience sampling method and placed randomly in experimental (n=15) or control group (n=15). Subjects in experimental group participated in eight 90 minutes sessions of behavioral activation and the control group waited for one month without receiving any intervention. Emotion dysregulation and ego strength of the subjects were measured before and after the intervention. Multivariable analyze of covariance indicated that when the effects of pretest are controlled, there is a significant difference between the two groups in terms of their average score on emotion dysregulation and ego strength variables. The results of this paper supports the effectiveness of group behavioral activation-based therapy on improving emotion regulation and ego strength.

One of the common psychological problems among dormitory students is depression and its symptoms. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of group behavioral activation (BA) on depression and cognitive-behavioral avoidance in University student.
This study is a experimental design study with a pretest/posttest and follow-up with a control group. Sixty dormitory students of Andimesh were randomly selected by availability sampling method and randomly assigned to a BA tratment group (n=30) and a wait-list control group(n=30).The treatment group received eight-weekly BA sessions. The Beck depression inventory and The Cognitive–Behavioral Avoidance Scale (CBAD) were used as outcome measures, before and after the intervention with a one-month follow-up. Data analyzed with multivariate analysis of covariance.
The results showed that behavioral activation therapy was effective in reducing symptoms of depression (P Results showed that behavioral activation therapy on depression symptoms, and cognitive-behavioral avoidance was effective. Given the efficacy of BA treatment on depression symptoms and cognitive-behavioral avoidance, BA therapy could be an alternative for the clients that seek for effective and short-time treatment in university counseling centers.