The Effectiveness of “Acceptance and Commitment Therapy” on Emotion Regulation Strategies, Dysfunctional Attitudes and Resilience in People with Major Depression

Introduction: Major depression is one of the most common psychological disorders that affects a personchr('39')s performance and has several negative side effects. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of "Acceptance and Commitment Therapy " on emotion regulation strategies, dysfunctional attitudes and resilience in people with major depression. Methods: The study was a quasi-experimental study with pre-test, post-test and follow-up and a control group. The statistical population included people with major depression who referred to counseling centers and psychological services in Sari. 30 people were selected by simple random sampling replaced in the intervention group (15 people) and control group (15 people). In order to collect data demographic questionnaire, "Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire", "Dysfunctional Attitude Scale" and "Connor ‐ Davidson Resilience Scale" were used. The validity of the instruments was assessed through the construct validity of confirmatory factor analysis and the reliability of the instruments by Cronbachchr('39')s alpha coefficient. Data were analyzed using SPSS .21. Results: "Acceptance and Commitment Therapy" is effective in improving emotion regulation strategies, dysfunctional attitudes and resilience in people with major depression (P <0.05). Conclusion: Emotion regulation strategies, dysfunctional attitudes, and resilience in people with major depression can be modified through "Acceptance and Commitment Therapy". It is suggested that education based on this treatment be conducted with the aim of empowering and promoting the mental health of people with depression in counseling and psychotherapy centers.