Examining the Effectiveness of Compassion-Based Acceptance and Commitment Integrated Therapy on Cortisol Hormone Levels and Mindfulness in Infertile Women Undergoing Hormone Therapy
Sanaz Pourgoli, Maryam Dehghan, Kamran Pourmohammad Ghouchani, Elham Naghshineh
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental study with pretest-posttest control group |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 40 |
| Population | Infertile women undergoing hormone therapy in Isfahan, Iran, in 2023 |
| Intervention | Compassion-based acceptance and commitment integrated therapy |
| Duration | 10 sessions |
| Measures | Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), salivary cortisol assessment |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Compassion-based acceptance and commitment integrated therapy significantly reduced cortisol levels (2.2-unit decrease) and improved mindfulness (13.3-unit increase) in infertile women undergoing hormone therapy, compared to a control group showing minimal changes. |
Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of compassion-based acceptance and commitment integrated therapy on reducing cortisol hormone levels and improving mindfulness in infertile women undergoing hormone therapy. Methods and Materials: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest control group. The statistical population consisted of infertile women undergoing hormone therapy in Isfahan, Iran, in 2023, from which 40 participants were selected using purposive sampling and randomly assigned to the experimental group (n = 20) and the control group (n = 20). The therapeutic intervention was conducted for the experimental group in 10 sessions. Research instruments included the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) and a salivary cortisol assessment test. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA).
Findings: The results indicated that compassion-based acceptance and commitment therapy had a significant effect on reducing cortisol levels (P < .001) and improving various dimensions of mindfulness (P < .01). In the experimental group, the mean cortisol level decreased significantly in the posttest (a 2.2-unit reduction), while the control group showed a minimal, non-significant decrease. Moreover, overall mindfulness in the experimental group increased by 13.3 units; dimensions such as acceptance of negative emotions, present-moment focus, and non-judgmental awareness also demonstrated positive changes. MANOVA results further revealed that the difference between groups regarding the combination of dependent variables was significant (Wilks’ Lambda = 0.712, P < .001).
Conclusion: The findings suggest that compassion-based acceptance and commitment integrated therapy is effective not only in reducing physiological stress (cortisol) but also in enhancing mindfulness skills.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Cancer patients (clinical intervention study) | 2003 | Mixed methods: scale development, correlational, quasi-experimental, laboratory, experience-sampling, and clinical intervention study | |
| Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. | 2008 | Controlled laboratory experiment | |
| Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. | 2012 | Two studies: correlational study and experimental study | |
| Mental Training Enhances Attentional Stability: Neural and Behavioral Evidence | 2009 | Experimental study | |
| Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Incarcerated population | 2006 | Quasi-experimental with treatment-as-usual control condition |