Preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy for death anxiety in Iranian clients diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Authors: Davazdahemami MH, Bayrami A, Petersen JM, Twohig MP, Bakhtiyari M, Noori M, Kheradmand A
Journal: Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic
acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
death anxiety
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
terror management theory
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Adolescent
Adult
Anxiety Disorders
Attitude to Death
Female
Humans
Iran
Middle Aged
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Treatment Outcome
Abstract
The authors investigated the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for the treatment of death anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with eight adult women in Iran. The ACT protocol was conducted in weekly solo sessions with each participant for 8 weeks (45 minutes each). The results were analyzed by visual analysis method and improvement percentage. ACT resulted in a 60%-80% decrease in death anxiety and a 51%-60% decrease in obsessive-compulsive symptoms, thereby indicating promise for ACT as a treatment for OCD and death anxiety.