The effect of hope based group therapy approach on the severity of depression in multiple sclerosis patients

Multiple sclerosis is one of the most common chronic diseases of central nervous system. Chronic nature of the disease, uncertain prognosis, lack of definitive cure and involving mostly young people will cause multiple psychological disorders in these patients that depression is the most prevalent one. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of hope therapy on depression in multiple sclerosis patients.
this study had one of the quasi- experimental designs called unequal control design. Twenty multiple sclerosis patients affiliated with MS Association of Isfahan were selected based on purposive, convenient sampling, willingness of subjects to participate in the study and consideration of inclusion and exclusion criteria. After random allocation of patients to intervention and control groups, the intervention group participated in eight 90 minutes sessions of group hope therapy. Before and after intervention, demographic and beck depression inventory questionnaires were used for data collection. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, and frequency), inferential statistics (ANOVA test) with SPSS software.
After hope therapy intervention the severity of depression in intervention group in comparison to control group two groups showed a significant difference (p . (0001/.So that the mean depression score in the intervention group was 5/6 and in the control group was 12/43.
The present study showed hope therapy can decrease depression severity in multiple sclerosis patients. So, using of this therapeutic approach in multiple sclerosis patients and other patients with chronic conditions is recommended.