Investigating the efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy on the difficulty of emotional regulation in breast cancer patients

Research has shown that emotional regulation difficulties and nervous pressure can worsen and delay breast cancer in patients. Based on studies, treatment based on acceptance and commitment can be effective in managing this disorder. However, there is a lack of research on the use of this treatment for emotional regulation disorders within the studied population.

The present study was conducted with the aim of comparing the Efficacy of psychological education of imago therapy and treatment based on acceptance and commitment on dyadic perspective-taking of couples applying for divorce.

This study utilized a semi-experimental design that included a pre-test, post-test, control group, and a 3-month follow-up period. All women between the ages of 30 and 50, who were diagnosed with breast cancer and visited the breast cancer clinic at Motahari Hospital in Shiraz during the first four months of 2022 were considered as the statistical population. Using the available sampling method, 50 individuals were selected and divided into two equal groups: the test and control groups, each with 25 individuals. The experimental group underwent eight weekly 90-minute group sessions of acceptance and commitment therapy based on Hayes and Strossahl's (2010) program for emotional regulation. The control group received no intervention. Data was collected using Gertz and Romer's (2004) emotional regulation questionnaire and was analyzed using the statistical analysis of variance with repeated measurements in SPSS software, version 24.

The results show a significant difference in emotional regulation difficulty between the experimental and control groups due to the use of acceptance and commitment therapy (p < 0.05).

Acceptance and commitment treatment is effective in treating breast cancer and improving women's quality of life. Educational programs focused on this approach help women manage their emotions.