Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy’s Effects on Perceived Stress and Psychosomatic Signs in Students with Psychosomatic Disorders

The present study investigated the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on perceived stress and psychosomatic symptoms in students with psychosomatic disorders. The study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pre- and post-test, a control group, and a two-month follow-up period. In the academic year 2020-21, the statistical population included secondary high school students with psychosomatic disorder in the city of Khomeini Shahr. Using a method of purposive sampling, 37 students with psychosomatic disorder symptoms were selected and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (18 in the experimental group and 19 in the control group). Over the course of two months, the experimental group received eight 75-minute mindfulness-based cognitive therapy sessions. This study utilized the psychosomatic complaints scale (PCS) and perceived stress scale (PSS) as questionnaires. The study’s data were analyzed using mixed ANOVA and SPSS-23 software. The results showed that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy has a significant impact on perceived tension and psychosomatic symptoms in students with psychosomatic disorder (p<0.001). Based on the findings of the present study, it can be concluded that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy can be used as an effective therapy to reduce perceived stress and psychosomatic symptoms in students with psychosomatic disorder through mindful activities and attitudes, as well as by addressing problematic feelings and emotions.