The Effects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on the Sense of Coherence, Locus of Control, and Posttraumatic Growth in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on the Sense of Coherence (SOC), Locus of Control (LoC), and Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). These factors were explored according to the prevalence of psychological problems in these patients. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test and a control group design. The study population included all patients with MS from Iran’s MS Association in Tehran City, Iran. The study sample included 30 patients (n=15/group) who were selected by purposive sampling technique and according to the study inclusion and exclusion criteria. The study participants were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. After obtaining necessary permissions and informed consent, a pre-test was initially performed. The instruments used in this study were ‎the 29-item Antonovsky’s Sense of Coherence Scale; the 29-item Julian Rotter’s Locus of Control Scale, and the 21-item Tedeschi and Calhoun’s Posttraumatic Growth scale. Several studies supported the reliability and validity of these scales. The experimental group received 8 sessions (once a week, each session: 1.5 h) of group Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). However, the control group received no intervention. After the intervention, according to the instructions, the post-test was performed. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS V. 21. Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) was performed to examine between-group differences data. Results: The study findings indicated that ACT was effective on the SoC; however, it had no significant effect on the LoC and PTG (P=0.05). Discussion: Participation in ACT sessions could enhance the SoC of patients with MS. Accordingly, it can be improved by accepting and enhancing these patients’ commitment to change through psychotherapy approach and increasing their SoC.