The Effectiveness of Spiritual-based Existential Therapy and Positive Existential Therapy on Resiliency of Elderly Women

This study is conducted with the aim of determining the effectiveness of spiritual-based existential therapy and positive existential therapy on resiliency of elderly women.

The present study was a quasi-experimental study with three groups and two stages of pre-test and
post-test with control group. The statistical population of the study included all elderly women referred to comprehensive health service centers in Isfahan, Iran. The sample consisted of 36 persons who were selected based on the inclusion criteria among the elderly women referred to the mentioned centers and were randomly assigned into two experimental and one control group (n = 12 each). The study instrument included Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) that was completed in pretest and posttest phases by the three groups. The collected data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) through SPSS software.

The ANCOVA results revealed that there was a significant difference between spiritual-based existential therapy and control group in resiliency (P < 0.001). Due to the differences in the mean values of the three groups, Bonferroni post hoc test showed that there was no significant difference between spiritual-based existential therapy and positive existential therapy and between positive existential therapy and control group (P > 0.050).

Spiritual-based existential therapy is an effective treatment to increase resiliency in elderly women. Elderly women, by participating in group sessions of spiritual-based existential therapy, gain higher resilience against adverse effects of the elderly stage.