The Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment-based Therapy on Early Maladaptive Schemas and Emotional Inhibition of Mothers with Children with Cancer

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment based therapy on early maladaptive schemas and emotional inhibition of mothers with children with cancer. This study was a quasi-experimental study with pre-test, post-test and follow-up with a control group. The statistical population of the study included all mothers with children with cancer referred to Mofid Hospital in District 3 of Tehran in August and September 2020. The statistical sample of the present study was 30 people who were selected by available sampling in the experimental group (15 people) and the control group (15 people) as a sample. In this study, the initial maladaptive schemas questionnaire and the emotional inhibition questionnaire for both groups and the educational intervention based on acceptance and commitment were performed on the sample group. Analysis of data obtained from the questionnaires was performed through SPSS 22 software in two descriptive and inferential sections (ANKOVA one-way analysis of covariance, Levin test, F test). Findings showed that there is a significant difference between the mean of total maladaptive schemas and total emotional inhibition in the experimental and control groups. That is, by eliminating the effect of pre-test scores, there is a significant difference between the adjusted mean of maladaptive schemas by group in the post-test stage. In general, based on these findings, it can be said that post-test acceptance and commitment therapy training has reduced the scores in the Young Yang maladaptive schemas questionnaire in mothers.