The effect of acceptance and commitment-based therapy on depression, chronic fatigue and pain intensity in patients with fibromyalgia: a study with the expected effect

Aims: Patients with fibromyalgia have very limited psychological flexibility that can lead to severe pain, depression, and other psychiatric disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of acceptance and commitment-based therapy on depression, chronic fatigue and pain intensity in patients with fibromyalgia with the effect of waiting and quarterly follow-up. Methods & materials: This is a quasi-experimental study with pre-test, post-test and quarterly follow-up design. A total of 40 patients with fibromyalgia in Booali Hospital in Tehran in 1397 were selected by available sampling and randomly assigned to two groups of 20 experimental and control (waiting list). Through 8 sessions, acceptance and commitment therapy group training was performed for both groups. Subjects answered Beck Depression Inventory, McGill Pain Questionnaire, and Krupp Fatigue Questionnaire before and after training. Analysis of covariance and repeated measures were used to analyze the data. Finding: The results of analysis of covariance and repeated measures showed that treatment based on acceptance and commitment has a significant effect on reducing the symptoms of depression, chronic fatigue and pain intensity in patients with fibromyalgia (p-value <0.001). Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that treatment based on acceptance and commitment through the development of acceptance, adaptation to disease conditions and better interpersonal relationships, leads to the improvement of traumatic symptoms and reduce the severity of pain, depression and chronic fatigue.