Impact of Dialectical Behavior Therapy on Depression and Anxiety in Patients Following COVID-19 Discharge

Abstract

Introduction: COVID-19 pandemic has a significant impact on mental health including anxiety and depression and can weaken the immune system and make a person more vulnerable to the disease. Psychotherapy techniques have been effective in reducing these disorders. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of dialectical behavior therapy on depression and anxiety in patients discharged from COVID-19. Methods: It was a randomized controlled trial (RCT). The statistical population consisted of 30 men who underwent COVID -19 disease quarantine. Convenience sampling was used and the patients were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. In the experimental group, dialectical behavior therapy was performed in 10 sessions of 90 minutes. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were used. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21 software and multivariate analysis of variance. Results: There was a significant difference between the mean scores of depression and anxiety in the experimental and control groups (p<0.001). The effect of this treatment on reducing the score of depression was 68% and on reducing the score of anxiety was 54%. Conclusion: Dialectical behavior therapy can reduce anxiety and depression in patients with COVID-19 disease. It is suggested that this intervention can be used in psychological treatment programs.