Comparing the effectiveness of mobile social network-based mindfulness intervention with acceptance and commitment therapy and mindfulness therapy on self-management and glycated haemoglobin level among patients with type 2 diabetes

The present study aimed to compare mobile social network-based mindfulness training, along with acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and mindfulness therapy on self-management and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) level in patients with type 2 diabetes.

The research employed a pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design with a three-month follow-up. Among type 2 diabetic patients who referred to diabetes treatment centers in Isfahan in the spring of 2018, 80 of them were purposefully selected based on inclusion criteria and then randomly assigned to three groups of the social network-based mindfulness intervention, ACT, and mindfulness training, along with a control group. Then, the summaries of Diabetes Self-care Activities questionnaire and glycated haemoglobin test were used to measure the dependent variables. The mindfulness interventions were conducted in the form of attendance in the training sessions. In addition, virtual network-based training and ACT were presented during eight 45-minute and 120-minute sessions, respectively. Finally, the data were analyzed using repeated measures of ANOVA with Bonferroni post-hoc test by SPSS software.

The findings indicated that in the self-management variable, there was a significant difference between social network-based mindfulness (posttest mean=30.59, follow-up mean=30.88, P=0.004) and ACT (posttest mean=32.7, follow-up mean=32.29, P=0.001) with the control group. Further, a significant difference was observed between ACT and mindfulness therapy regarding self-management (P=0.04). In the HbA1c level, there was a significant difference only between social network-based mindfulness (mean in posttest and follow-up=7.44and 7.39, respectively, P=0.02) and the control group.

According to the findings of the present study, mobile social networks-based mindfulness interventions, along with ACT, are considered as effective treatments for diabetic patients to increase self-management while reducingHbA1c.