The Effect of Combined Therapy of Acceptance, Commitment, and Compassion on Cognitive-Behavioral Avoidance of Patients with Colorectal Cancer: A Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background:

The first line of treatment for colorectal cancer is colostomy. Colostomy surgery causes behaviors such as avoidance that interfere with the treatment of the disease and should be considered. Thus, in the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of combined therapy of acceptance, commitment, and compassion on the cognitive-behavioral avoidance of patients with colorectal cancer after colostomy surgery.

Materials and Methods:

This research was a randomized clinical trial, which was done with a semi-experimental method with two groups (experimental and control) and pre-test and post-test. The statistical population included patients with colorectal cancer after colostomy surgery who were referred to ALA Cancer Prevention and Control Center (MACSA) of Isfahan in 2018, among whom 32 people were selected and randomly assigned in two groups of experimental and control groups with 16 people in each group. The Yung avoidance questionnaire (1994) was used to measure the dependent variable in the two groups in the pre-test and post-test. The experimental group received 10 weekly sessions of treatment. The control group did not receive any treatment. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 24 and the covariance analysis method.

 Results:

The combined therapy of acceptance, commitment, and compassion had a significant effect on cognitive-behavioral avoidance, and its dimensions (substance abuse, avoidance through sleep, lack of energy, and passive distraction) were improved (P<0.05).  In fact, cognitive-behavioral avoidance and its dimensions decreased in the experimental group in the post-test (P<0.05).

 Conclusion:

According to the results of this study, it seems that the combined therapy of acceptance, commitment, and compassion can be used as a useful and effective intervention to improve cognitive-behavioral avoidance in medical centers for patients with colorectal cancer.