The Effectiveness of Cognitive Therapy Based on Mindfulness on Alexithymia and Caregiving Pressure in Women with Spouses Suffering from Cancer

Cancer is a group of growing chronic diseases in the world, which can negatively affect the mental health of the affected people and the relatives. Appropriate psychotherapy methods can improve the mental health of these patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive therapy based on mindfulness on alexithymia and caregiving pressure in women with spouses suffering from cancer.

The design of the current research was semi-experimental and pre-test and post-test with a control group. The statistical population of this research included all women with spouses diagnosed with cancer hospitalized in Imam Reza Hospital of Tabriz in 2022. Using the available sampling method, 30 people were selected and then randomly assigned into two experimental and control groups. At first, a pre-test was administered to both groups, and then the experimental group received cognitive therapy based on mindfulness 8 session every week, and after the end of the treatment sessions, the post-test was conducted in both groups. In this study, the Toronto Emotional Dysfunction and Patient Care Pressure Questionnaire (FBIS) were used to collect data. Multivariate covariance analysis was used to analyze to analyze data in SPSS-25 software.

The results of the research showed that in the experimental group, the post-test scores of alexithymia (F=19.42, p≤0.01) and patient care pressure (F=21.189, p≤0.01) in women of spouses with cancer. In women of spouses with cancer in the intervention group, it was significantly lower than the control group.

It can be climed that cognitive therapy based on mindfulness has been effective in reducing alexithymia and the pressure of patient care. Therefore, this treatment can help to improve the emotional state and reduce the psychological pressure of these women.