THE EFFECT OF ACCEPTANCE AND COMMITMENT-BASED INTERVENTION ON SENSE OF COHERENCE AND INTERPRETATION BIAS IN WOMEN WITH POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME (PCOS)

 Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders among women of reproductive age, significantly affecting both physical and mental health. This condition is associated with issues such as infertility, obesity, depression, anxiety, and a reduced sense of coherence. Moreover, women with PCOS exhibit a negative interpretive bias, which can exacerbate their psychological difficulties. The present study aimed to examine the effect of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on the sense of coherence and interpretive bias in women with PCOS.

 This quasi-experimental study employed a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design with a control group. The statistical population included women with PCOS who attended an endocrinology specialty clinic in Urmia. A total of 30 participants were selected through convenience sampling and were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 15) or the control group (n = 15). The research instruments included the Sense of Coherence (SOC) Scale and the Revised Interpretive Bias Questionnaire. The intervention group underwent ACT in eight 60-minute sessions, while the control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA in SPSS version 26.

The findings indicated that ACT had a significant effect on increasing the sense of coherence and reducing interpretive bias in the intervention group (P < 0.01). This effect remained stable not only in the post-test phase but also during the follow-up period, whereas the control group showed no significant changes in these variables.

The results of this study suggest that ACT can enhance psychological flexibility, reduce cognitive fusion, increase acceptance, and promote value-based living, leading to an improved sense of coherence and reduced interpretive bias in women with PCOS. Given the psychological challenges faced by these patients, ACT could be considered an effective intervention for improving their mental well-being. Future studies are recommended to explore the application of this intervention in other chronic disease populations.