Comparison of the Effectiveness of Cognitive Rehabilitation Training and Positive Mindset Training on Hope and Psychological Distress in Mastectomized Patients with Depression

Introduction: Mastectomy plays an important role in reducing mental health, and mastectomized patients with depression commonly have low hopes and high psychological distress. Therefore, the present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation training and positive mindset training on hope and psychological distress of mastectomized patients with depression. Methods: The present study was quasi-experimental with pre-test and post-test design with control group. The study population was mastectomized patients with depression who were referred to counseling centers and clinics and psychological services in Ahvaz city (Iran) between March-September of 2021. A total of 45 patients were selected by purposive sampling method according to the inclusion criteria and then randomly assigned to three equal groups. Each experimental group received 10 sessions of 90 minutes (two sessions per week) of cognitive rehabilitation and positive mindfulness trainings. But the control group was placed on a waiting list for training. Data were collected using Beck et al. Depression Inventory, Snyder et al.'s Questionnaire and Kessler et al.'s Psychological Distress Questionnaire and analyzed by Chi-square, multivariate analysis of covariance and Bonferroni post hoc test in SPSS-19 software. Results: The results showed that the experimental and control groups did not differ significantly in terms of education, age and last time after mastectomy (P> 0.05). Also, both intervention methods increased hope and decreased psychological distress in mastectomized patients with depression compared to the control group (P <0.001), but there was no significant difference between intervention methods in increasing hope and reducing psychological distress. Conclusion: The results were indicated on the effectiveness of both intervention methods and the lack of significant differences between them in increasing hope and reducing psychological distress. Therefore, therapists and health and rehabilitation specialists can use both these methods to improve health-related features, especially hope and psychological distresses.