Abstract
Purpose
Cancer significantly impacts the physical and psychological well-being of patients. Breast cancer, in particular, can lead to various psychological distress, including mental pain and fatigue. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Existential Cognitive Therapy (ECT) in reducing mental pain and fatigue in women with breast cancer.
Methods
A quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test design with a control group was employed in this study. The target population comprised all women diagnosed with breast cancer and referred to pathology departments in Ahvaz, Iran, during 2023. A convenience sample of 60 participants was selected and randomly assigned to three groups of 20: ACT, ECT, and a control group. The ACT and ECT groups received 10 ninety-minute sessions of their respective therapies, while the control group received no psychological intervention. Data were collected using the Pain Questionnaire and the Cancer Fatigue Scale and analyzed using analysis of covariance.
Results
The results indicated that both ACT and ECT were significantly effective in reducing mental pain and fatigue in women with breast cancer (p < 0.01). However, no significant difference was found between the effectiveness of ACT and ECT in reducing mental pain and fatigue.
Conclusions
Both ACT and ECT can be effective interventions for reducing mental pain and fatigue in women with breast cancer.