Effect of Positive Psychology Group Counseling on Quality of Life of Pregnant Women

  Background and purpose: Mental health is one of the main aspects that is directly related to the quality of life of pregnant women. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of group counseling on quality of life in pregnant women applying positive psychology. Materials and methods: In a randomized clinical trial, 56 pregnant women were selected by convenience sampling and were divided into intervention (n=28) and control (n=28) groups using randomized block design. The health-related quality of life questionnaire SF-36 was administered at pre-test, post-test, and six weeks after the intervention. Positive psychology interventions were performed twice weekly for 60 min per session during four weeks. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square, independent t-test, and repeated measures ANOVA. Results: After the intervention, there was a significant difference in the mean score for quality of life between the intervention group (76.78±11.9) and control group (67.90±13.06) (P= 0.01). The mean scores for physical and psychological dimensions also showed significant differences between the two groups at post-test (P <0.05). Six weeks after the intervention, there was a significant difference between the two groups in the psychological dimension (P= 0.043), but the mean score for total quality of life (P= 0.058) and its physical dimension (P=0.093) were not significantly different. Repeated measures ANOVA showed significant differences between all variables in the intervention group (P<0.001). Conclusion: Positive counseling can improve the quality of life and mental health of pregnant women, but quality of life is a multidimensional issue and its maintenance requires attention to all aspects of health and consistent counseling.   (Clinical Trials Registry Number: IRCT20160521027994N6)