Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Professor, Behavioral Sciences Research Center, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. And Professor, Department of Health Psychology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
2
Assistant Professor of Health Psychology, Clinical Research Development Center, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran
3
Associate Professor of Health Psychology, Clinical Research Development Center, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran
4
Prof, Department of Psychology, School of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Isfahan University, Isfahan, Iran.
5
Medical Intern, Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract
Background and Objective
Cancer, in addition to its physical effects, can have profound psychological impacts on individuals. Facing cancer is, in a way, facing imminent death, which can influence one's attitude toward death, anxiety, and feelings of hopelessness. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) on attitudes toward death and hope in women with breast cancer.
Materials and Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental design with a control group, including pre-test, post-test, and follow-up stages. The statistical population comprised all women with breast cancer in Isfahan, and 36 participants were selected from Seyed al-Shohada Hospital in 2021 using convenience sampling. The research tools included the Wong, Reker, and Gess Death Attitude Profile and the Snyder Hope Scale. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy sessions were conducted in 8 sessions of 90 minutes each, based on the Kabat-Zinn model. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used for data analysis with SPSS-26 software.
Results: The results showed that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy had no significant effect on attitudes toward death in the post-test stage but had a positive effect in the follow-up stage. Additionally, this intervention had a significant effect on hope.
Conclusion: Given the complexity of the concept of attitude toward death, it seems that the effects of the intervention require higher-level processing, which manifested in the follow-up stage. The therapeutic intervention was also found to be effective in rapidly enhancing patients' feelings of hope.
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