A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Therapy Based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Cognitive Fusion and Experiential Avoidance in Patients with Migraine Headache

Background and aim: The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of group therapy based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) on experiential avoidance and cognitive fusion in patients with migraine headache.  Method: This research was an experimental research type. The subjects included 30 patients with migraine headache who were assigned into the three groups of acceptance and commitment therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, and control with random replacement method. To collect data, the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire - II (AAQ-II) and Gillanders’ Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (CFQ) were used. The scores obtained from the evaluations were analyzed in three stages (pre-test, post-test, and follow-up) using ANOVA (one-way analysis of variance) statistical test. Result: The results of data analysis indicated that there is a significant difference between the effectiveness of the therapy based on acceptance and commitment therapy and cognitive behavior therapy on reducing the experiential avoidance in the two short-term P (0.05) and long-term P (0.05) levels and cognitive fusion in the short-term P (0.05) and long-term P (0.05) levels. They also indicated the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy on experiential avoidance and cognitive fusion in the two short-term P (0.05) and long-term P (0.05) levels, and the effectiveness of cognitive behavior therapy in the short-term P (0.05) level, and the ineffectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy on experiential avoidance in the two short-term P (0.05) and long-term P (0.05) levels, and cognitive fusion in the long-term P (0.05) level. Conclusion: Applying acceptance and commitment therapy has an effect on cognitive fusion and experimental avoidance of migraine patients, but cognitive behavioral therapy, although reducing cognitive fusion in the short-term, but this effect disappears after a short time. And it can be said that the long-term level does not affect the cognitive fusion of patients. Also, this treatment does not affect the experimental avoidance of patients.