Determining the Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Cognitive Avoidance and Marital Intimacy in Women with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a chronic and debilitating neurotic disorder classified under the sixth class of disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Over the past few decades, many studies have aimed to identify the psychological factors contributing to the onset and persistence of OCD, with each study examining one of the components involved in the disorder. One such component is cognitive avoidance, which involves using mental strategies to change thoughts and ideas during social interactions, ultimately creating conditions conducive to worry. In addition to reducing symptoms, OCD patients must seek treatments that improve marital intimacy. Mindfulness–based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is one such therapy that can be employed. MBCT encompasses a variety of meditations, yoga stretching, basic training on depression, bodybuilding exercises, and several cognitive therapy exercises that highlight the relationship between mood, thoughts, and emotions. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of MBCT on cognitive avoidance and marital intimacy in women with OCD.

The quasi–experimental study used a pretest–posttest design with a control group. The study population comprised married women with OCD seeking treatment at clinics in the eighth district of Tehran City, Iran, the spring and summer of 2019. Through the available sampling method, 30 eligible female candidates were selected and randomly assigned to either an experimental or control group. The experimental group underwent 8 sixty–minute sessions of MBCT based on Sigal et al. (2018) protocol, while the control group did not receive any intervention. Data collection tools included Maudeseley Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder Scale (Goodman et al., 1989), Cognitive Avoidance Scale (Sexton and Dougas, 2009), and Marital Intimacy Scale (Walker and Thomson, 1983). To analyze the data, a multivariate analysis of covariance test was used at a significance level of α = 0.05 in SPSS software version 22.

After the intervention, the experimental group exhibited a significant decrease (p<0.001) in cognitive avoidance scores and an increase in marital intimacy scores (p<0.001) compared to the control group.

According to this study's findings, MBCT effectively reduced cognitive avoidance and increased marital intimacy in women with OCD. Therefore, this treatment is recommended for counseling centers and psychological services to improve the gynecological problems of patients with OCD.