Effects of Gestalt Group Therapy and Reality Therapy on Perceived Self- Efficacy in Women with Breast Cancer

Considered as a major health concern worldwide, breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent cancer among women. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of gestalt group therapy and reality therapy on perceived self-efficacy in women with BC. This quasi-experimental research adopted a pretest and posttest with a control group and follow-up period. The statistical population included all the women with BC visiting the subspecialty clinic of cancer in Yasuj, Iran, in 2021. We selected 60 patients via convenience sampling method. Afterwards, using a random number table, we placed them in two experimental groups and a control group (n=20 women in each group). The first experimental group received gestalt therapy (10 sessions of 60 minutes; once a week) while the second experimental group received reality therapy (based on choice theory) (10 sessions of 60 minutes; once a week). The control group was placed on the waiting list. We used the general self-efficacy scale for data collection. The data were analyzed with repeated measures ANOVA in SPSS version 25. Mean and standard deviation of the perceived self-efficacy for gestalt therapy, reality therapy, and control groups in the posttest were 52.06±8.83, 55.93±8.66, and 39.33±7.56, respectively. The results indicated that the gestalt group therapy and the reality therapy affected the perceived self-efficacy of women with BC (P<0.001). Moreover, the findings depicted no significant differences between the gestalt group therapy and the reality theory. The effects persisted in the follow-up (P<0.001). According to the results, the gestalt group therapy and the reality therapy could improve the psychological capacity and adaptability of women with BC in different personal and social aspects. Hence, psychotherapists are advised to employ gestalt group therapy and reality therapy in counseling centers in order to enhance perceived self-efficacy in women with BC.