Comparing the Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Existentialism Therapy on Increasing Improving Cognitive Flexibility in the Elderly

Having cognitive flexibility enables people to not only cope better with stressful situations, but also have less stress and have more ability to cope with problems. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of treatment of acceptance and commitment and existentialism therapy on increasing psychological flexibility in the elderly.

The current research method is semi-experimental and its design is preexperimental-
post-experimental with control group. The statistical population of the present study included all members of the Bojnourd Retirement Association in 2020, who were at least 60 years old. The sample size in this study included 45 people, first by targeted sampling and random substitution in three experimental groups 1
[15]. Individual], experimental group 2 [15 people] and control group [15 people] were included. The research instrument was the Dennis and Vanderwall Cognitive Flexibility Questionnaire [2010]. Acceptance and commitment therapy packages were administered in 8 sessions of 90-minute and existential therapy in 10 sessions of 90-minute for intervention groups. Data using descriptive statistics [mean and standard deviation] and inferential statistics [analysis of covariance And follow-up
test] were analyzed. Data analysis was performed using SPSS statistical analysis software version 22.

Acceptance and commitment-based and existential therapeutic package were effective in increasing participantschr('39') cognitive flexibility. Also, in terms of comparison between the two treatments, there was a slight difference in the cognitive flexibility variable, but this amount of difference between the two treatment approaches was not statistically significant.

Acceptance and commitment-based therapy package and existential therapy in 8 and 10 sessions of 90 minutes, respectively, were able to increase cognitive flexibility in the elderly. Therefore, it seems that performing such interventions in turn can provide the basis for improving performance in the elderly in most issues and areas of social and psychological life.