Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 MSc in Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
In the theory of acceptance and commitment and recent theories, experiential avoidance is considered as an important factor in the etiology and continuation of mental pathology. The aim of the present study was carried out to determine the efficacy and continuation of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on experiential avoidance of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. The present study was a quasi-experimental study with pretest, posttest and control group. In this clinical trial, 16 veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder referred to Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs in Kerman, with psychiatric diagnosis, were selected by purposive sampling method. They were treated for 8 sessions (each session 90 minutes) based on acceptance and commitment. Treatment was followed for two months after treatment. To collect the data, the check-list of symptoms of mental disorder (SCL-90, Derogatis et al., 1973), Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5, Weather et al., 2013), post-traumatic stress disorder list (PCL-5, Weather et al., 2013) and a questionnaire of acceptance and commitment (AAQ-II, Bond et al., 2007) were used. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance. The results showed that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy significantly reduced the experiential avoidance and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, and the reduction lasted up to two months after treatment. The treatment process and the results obtained in this study suggest that the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder of veterans, had the necessary efficiency and effectiveness.
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