Comparison of the Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on Psychological Well-being and Death Anxiety in Pregnant Women
Marzieh Mohammadzadeh, SHahram Mami, Vahid Ahmadi, Tayebeh Rashidian
The psychology of woman journal 2024 DOI: 10.61838/kman.pwj.5.2.10 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 45 |
| Population | Pregnant women in Ilam City, Iran, in 2020 |
| Interventions | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) |
| Measures | Psychological Well-being Scale (Ryff), Death Anxiety Scale (Templer) |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Key findings | Both MBSR and ACT improved psychological well-being and reduced death anxiety relative to a control group. MBSR reduced death anxiety more than ACT, while the two therapies showed no significant difference in psychological well-being. |
Abstract
Objective: Pregnancy is a unique period in the life of every woman. Although pregnancy and childbirth can be a pleasant and enjoyable experience, they are also considered stressful experiences. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on psychological well-being and death anxiety in pregnant women in Ilam City.
Materials and Methods: The present study is experimental and utilizes a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of this study included all pregnant women in Ilam City in 2020. Using convenience sampling, a total of 45 individuals were selected as sample members and were randomly assigned to three groups: MBSR, ACT, and control. Data collection tools included the Psychological Well-being Scale (Ryff) and the Death Anxiety Scale (Templer). Data were analyzed using SPSS-21 software, multivariate covariance analysis (MANCOVA), and the Bonferroni test.
Findings: The results of the multivariate covariance analysis showed a statistically significant difference in psychological well-being and death anxiety among the experimental groups (MBSR and ACT) and the control group (F = 132/141, P < 0.001). Additionally, the results of the Bonferroni test indicated that MBSR significantly reduced death anxiety in pregnant women more than ACT (P < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in psychological well-being between the MBSR and ACT groups (P > 0.474).
Conclusion: Both MBSR and ACT can be beneficial and effective for improving the psychological status of pregnant women.