Comparing the Effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy with Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Anxiety Sensitivity and Its Dimensions in Women with Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is a debilitating condition, in which the person with pain faces so much suffering and medical expenses. This research was conducted with the aim of comparing the effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) with Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) on anxiety sensitivity in women with chronic pain.

This study was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design and a control group with 2-month follow-up. The statistical population included all women with chronic pain in the back and spine who referred to the specialized and physiotherapy clinic of Imam Reza Hospital in Islamshahr in 2022. 45 people were selected by convenience sampling and randomly assigned into three equal groups The experimental ISTDP and MBCT groups received 8 sessions each (one 1-hour session per week), but the control group did not receive any interventions. Demographic information checklist and Taylor and Cox’s Anxiety Sensitivity Index were used to collect data. Data were analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA.

In the linear combination of anxiety sensitivity variables and dimensions of physical, cognitive, and social symptoms according to group membership and pre-test, post-test, and follow-up stages, the interaction effect of group and time was significant (F=218.063, p<0.001 & η=0.603). The difference in the average score of ISTDP with MBCT with the control group was significant in anxiety sensitivity and its dimensions with Benferroni test (p<0.001), However, no significant difference was observed between the effectiveness of the two intervention methods (p>0.05).

Both intervention methods had a positive effect on anxiety sensitivity in women with chronic pain. These findings can be promising in planning rehabilitation and treatment interventions for these patients along with conventional medical treatment.