The Efficacy of Written Emotional Expression Training on Adherence to Treatment in Cardiac Patients

Heart disease is one of the most common diseases in the world. The aim of the current research was the efficacy of written emotional expression training on adherence to treatment in heart patients.
The present study was practical and quasi-experimental with a pre-test-post-test design and a two-month follow-up with a control group. The statistical population included all patients with heart problems in the west of Tehran city, 40 of whom were selected by available sampling method and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. They completed Medanlo adherence to treatment questionnaire (2013). The data was analyzed using the repeated measurement variance analysis method with the help of SPSSV19 software.
The results showed that there was a significant difference in the adherence to treatment variable and all its components (F=7.332 and P<0.01). After the intervention in the variables of interest in treatment (F=7.694 and P<0.01), willingness to participate (F=6.959 and P<0.01), ability to adapt (F=14.113 and P<0.01), integration of treatment with life (F=9.953 and P<0.01), adherence to treatment (F=6.891 and P<0.01), commitment to treatment (F=6.892 and P<0.01), doubt in implementing the treatment (F=19.877 and P<0.01) and adherence to treatment (F=43.134 and P<0.01) of the group.
Finally, it can be concluded that the use of written emotional expression training has elevated the adherence to treatment and its components in heart patients. Therefore psychologists, counselors, cardiologists, and clinical and health professionals can benefit from this training in order to improve the adherence to treatment of heart patients.