Comparing the effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy with mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on sleep problems and depression in women with hypothyroidism

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD. student in Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran.

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Amin Institute of Higher Education, Fooladshahr, Isfahan, Iran.

4 Associate Professor of Health Psychology, Clinical Research Development Center, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran.

10.22038/mjms.2025.85104.4883

Abstract

Introduction: The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on sleep problems and depression in women with hypothyroidism. Materials and Methods: The study was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test with a control group. The statistical population was women with hypothyroidism who referred to endocrinology offices and clinics in Isfahan in۲۰۲۳, from which 45 people were selected as a sample using the convenience sampling method and randomly assigned to the compassion-focused therapy experimental group (15 people), the mindfulness-based cognitive therapy experimental group (15 people), and the control group (15 people). Data collection tools included the Pittsburgh Sleep Disorders Questionnaire (1980) and the Beck Depression Inventory (1996). The compassion-focused therapy experimental group underwent Gilbert's (2009) package intervention, and the mindfulness-based cognitive therapy experimental group underwent Crane's (2009) package intervention for eight 90-minute sessions. Multivariate analysis of variance and LSD post hoc test were used to analyze the data. Results: The results showed that there was a significant difference between the effectiveness of the two methods of compassion-focused therapy and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on sleep problems in patients with hypothyroidism. According to the post hoc test, the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on improving sleep problems was significantly greater than compassion-focused therapy. However, there was no significant difference between the effectiveness of the two methods of compassion-focused therapy and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on depression. Conclusion: Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy can be considered a useful therapeutic strategy for improving the mental state of patients with hypothyroidism.

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