The Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy on Anxiety, Metabolic Control and Quality of Life in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes is one of the most common and costly chronic diseases that causes many limitations to the patients’ activities. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy on anxiety, metabolic control, and quality of life among patients with type 2 diabetes.

The method of the present study was quasi-experimental with a pretest, posttest, and follow-up design with a control group. The statistical population of this study consisted of people with type 2 diabetes in Tehran Diabetes Association, whowasreferred to this association in 2019. A total of 60 people were selected by convenience sampling method and randomly divided into experimental and control groups of 30 people. The experimental group received cognitive-behavioral therapy in eight sessions of 90 minutes per week. Before and after the intervention, the questionnaire of state-trait anxiety, quality of life, and medical tests was performed in both groups. Data were analyzed by analysis of covariance using SPSS software version 22.

The mean (SD) age of the experimental group was 48.1 (10.5), and the control group was 47.8 (9.4) years. In the experimental group, the mean (SD) anxiety score decreased from 94.5 (14.4) in the pretest to 84.3 (15.7) in the posttest and 84.1 (16.1) in the follow-up, P<0.001. In the experimental group, the mean (SD) metabolic score decreased from 466.8 (91.7) in the pretest to 400.4 (99.6) in the posttest and 387.1 (100.1) in the follow-up, P<0.001. In the experimental group, the mean (SD) score of quality of life increased from 75.6 (19.6) in the pretest to 90.8 (23.7) in the posttest and 90.4 (22.8) in the follow-up, P<0.001. However, there was no difference in scores in the control group in terms of anxiety, metabolic and quality of life.

The study showed that cognitive-behavioral intervention reduced anxiety and increased metabolic control, and improved quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes.