The Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Anxiety Sensitivity and Alexithymia of Nurses with Chronic Low Back Pain

Musculoskeletal discomforts are one of the most common occupational diseases of nurses. In this regard, the present study aims to investigate the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy on anxiety sensitivity and alexithymia in nurses with chronic low back pain.

This was a semi-experimental study with pretest-posttest and a control group. The statistical population included nurses suffering from chronic low back pain in Tehran in 2019. The sample included 30 nurses with low back pain selected using available sampling method. They were randomly assigned into case and control groups. Data collection tools included anxiety sensitivity and alexithymia questionnaires. Accordingly, the experimental group received eight 90-minute sessions of therapy based on acceptance and commitment, but the control group did not receive any intervention.

The results of the present study indicated that treatment based on acceptance and commitment in nurses with chronic low back pain significantly reduced anxiety sensitivity (physical, cognitive and social) and alexithymia (difficulty in identifying emotions, describing emotions, and external thinking) (P< 0.01).

Findings reveal that treatment based on acceptance and commitment has been able to reduce the psychological problems of nurses with chronic low back pain. For this purpose, it is suggested that psychologists and pain specialists hold workshops and make plans for nurses with chronic low back pain.