Comparison of the Efficacy of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in Reducing Depression in Women with Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Background: The goal of the present study was to compare the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in reducing depression in women with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: This was a quasi-experimental research with a pretest-posttest design and control group. Among female patients with MS suffering from depressive symptoms attending the Iran MS Society in 2015, a total of 45 patients were selected as the study sample and randomly divided into 3 groups (CBT, ACT, and Control groups) of 15 individuals. The interventions were provided in 8 sessions, each 45 minutes long. The study data were gathered using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and analyzed using SPSS software. Results: Both CBT and ACT were effective in reducing depression in patients with MS (P < 0.001). However, CBT was more effective than ACT for this purpose. Conclusion: According to the study results, both CBT and ACT are effective interventions for reducing depression in patients with MS. Given that CBT was more effective than ACT for this purpose, we suggest that it be used as the preferred treatment for depression in patients with MS.