Effectiveness of Reality Therapy on Empathy of the Spouses of Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

The Spouses of Veterans With Post-traumatic Stress Disorderbecause of frequent contact with her husband during their life have been greatly affected by emotional-spiritual problems, which often have a vague concept of love and empathy

According to the theory of Glasser’s Reality Therapy to improve marital relations, this study conducted to survey the effects of reality therapy on the empathy of post-traumatic stress disorder in Spouses of war veterans.

Using randomized sampling, thisexperimental study was conducted on 34  war veterans with post-traumatic stress disorderin  Nyayesh hospital in Tehran in 2015 that were assigned to 2 groups ofexperimental (n=17) and control (n= 17). Experimental group receivedeight  90-120 minute  sessionsof reality therapy based on Glasser’s Theory. Standardized empathy questionnaire (Davis)questionnaire wasemployed to collect data before and after the intervention. Then, data were analyzed by paired and independent t tests.

The mean and standard deviation (Mean±SD) of empathy in reality therapy groupbefore the interventionwas 61.01±15.01 and  in the control groupwas 53.52±13.1; independent t-test showed no significant difference (P=0.13). Butthe mean and standard deviation (Mean±SD) of empathy in reality therapy group was 73.47±9.2 after the intervention, and in the control group was 59.29 ±1.7. That shows a significant difference (P=0.003). Thus,empathy in the intervention group was more than that in the control group.

According tothe effectiveness of this approach on increasing the empathy of veterans’ spouses, it is suggested that officials and health professionals, especially nurseimprove the quality of life in the families of veterans ‘spouses by understanding the needs of veterans’ spouses and familiesand holding workshops and training classes andand group therapy sessions based on reality therapy.