Developing a Treatment Protocol of Acceptance and Commitment Using the Metaphors of Rumi's Spiritual Masnavi

According to the new definitions of the Statistical and Diagnosis Manual of Mental Disorders, learning disabilities are not limited to problems with learning math or reading. Treatment or improvement includes participation in daily life activities and the ability to accomplish tasks. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) can be effective in this field since it focuses on one's values and commitment to them. Having a child with a learning disability has a significant effect on a mother's beliefs and feelings, to the extent that these mothers experience various adverse emotions, such as confusion, depression, frustration, and so on. These feelings affect the quality of life of mothers with children with learning disabilities, and research has shown that ACT can improve it. Regarding the effect of ACT on the well–being of children with a learning disability and their family members, we aimed to develop an ACT protocol using the metaphors of Rumi's spiritual Masnavi.

This research was conducted using the qualitative content analysis method. We explored Masnavi Manavi's anecdotes using the content analysis method to extract the hidden content of the anecdotes and their adaptation to the ACT categories. The unit of analysis in this research was the anecdotes of Masnavi Manavi. At this stage, 20 anecdotes were identified by researchers. Many anecdotes were not selected at this stage because of their similarity, the length of the anecdotes, or their narrative and conceptual complexity. Finally, an ACT protocol based on Masnavi metaphors was prepared as eight 75–min sessions (two sessions per week). To test the validity of the protocol, we implemented the protocol on a 35–year–old woman who was a housewife and holder of a bachelor's degree. She had a child with learning disabilities (the child had hyperactive traits and learning disabilities rooted in hyperactivity).

A total of eight related anecdotes with corresponding metaphors were found in spiritual Masnavi that matched all six ACT categories. These anectodes are 1) the story of the host afraid of having a guest in her home for a long time because of rain, 2) the story of the bear and the idiot who trusted him, 3) the story of a wolf and a fox go hunting in the companionship of a lion, 4) the story of the horse drinking water while being distracted by the people around, 5) the story of the deaf person who decides to visit his sick neighbor, 6) the story of four people who want grapes in a different language and get in trouble, 7) the story of the jackal falls into a bend of color and starts claiming to be a peacock, and finally 8) the story of the merchant and parrot. The validity of the protocol in an experimental run on the subject was confirmed using clinical observations and open–ended questions.

According to the results, the spiritual Masnavi has metaphors corresponding to the ACT categories. Customizing this treatment using the Masnavi spiritual anecdotes and the protocol based on these metaphors has good validity.