1- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
2- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. , mfiroozy@ut.ac.ir
3- Internal Medicine Department, Hematologist and Medical Oncologist, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
Abstract: (152 Views)
Background: After cancer diagnosis, death anxiety continuously challenges the patient's life. Individuals diagnosed with cancer are forced to think of and confront the end of their lives. The present research was conducted to determine the effect of paradox therapy (PTC) on death anxiety of female patients with cancer.
Methods: This research was a quasi- experimental study with a pretest- posttest control group design. The statistical population consisted of all female patients with cancer, referring to a specialized cancer treatment center in Ahvaz province, Iran, from January 21 to February 19, 2023 who were first recruited by convenience sampling based on inclusion criteria and then were randomly assigned into experimental (n=26) and control (n=26) groups. The data were collected using Death Anxiety Scale (DAS). The experimental group received 6 sessions of individual, face-to- face paradox therapy (PTC). The duration of each session was 45 minutes. The dependent variable was assessed at three distinct time points: initially at the pre-test phase, subsequently upon the conclusion of the psychotherapy intervention, and finally, one month following the termination of psychotherapy. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics and to test the research hypothesis, mixed analysis of variance was used in SPSS-25 software. The significance level was set at P < 0.05.
Results: A significant effect of time on death anxiety scores was observed (F=169.77, P<0.0001). Post hoc analysis revealed significant differences in the mean death anxiety scores across the pretest, posttest, and follow-up assessments. Additionally, a significant interaction between time and treatment group was noted (F=153.58, P<0.0001). According to the Bonferroni test, the experimental group exhibited a significant reduction in death anxiety at posttest compared to pretest (P<0.0001), and this reduction persisted at follow-up stage (P<0.0001). Moreover, death anxiety continued to decrease from posttest to follow-up. These results supported the study hypothesis.
Conclusion: By elevating our understanding of the effect of PTC on death anxiety in cancer patients, the current research has tried to fill a major gap in psychosocial oncology. Perceiving the long-term effect of PTC can lay the groundwork for following care plans and long-term support for cancer patients.
Type of Study:
Research |
Subject:
General Received: 2024/07/20 | Accepted: 2024/10/13 | Published: 2025/01/1