Comparing the Effectiveness of Schema Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Women's Self-Concept after Breast Cancer Surgery

Abstract

Introduction and Aim: Breast cancer surgery can negatively affect women's self-concept after surgery. Therefore, the aim of the present research was comparing the effectiveness of schema therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy on women's self-concept after breast cancer surgery.

Methodology: This study was applied in terms of purpose and quasi-experimental with a pre-test, post-test and two-month follow-up with a control group in terms of implementation method. The population of the present study was all women with breast cancer after surgery who referred to the clinic of Shohada Tajrish Hospital in 2020 year. The sample of this study was 45 people who were selected by simple random sampling method and were replaced by simple random sampling method with the help of lottery in three equal groups including two experimental groups and a control group. The first experimental group received 10 sessions of 90 minute of schema therapy and the second experimental group received 8 sessions of 90 minute of acceptance and commitment therapy, and the control group remained on the waiting list for treatment. Data were collected with a Self-Concept Questionnaire (Rogers, 1957) and analyzed with analysis of variance with repeated measures and Bonferroni post hoc test in SPSS software.

Findings: The results of this study indicated that both schema therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy increased the self-concept of women's self-concept after breast cancer surgery, and the results remained in the follow-up phase. Also, the effectiveness of schema therapy in increasing their self-concept was greater than that of acceptance and commitment therapy (P<0.05).

Conclusion: According to the greater effectiveness of schema therapy in compared to acceptance and commitment therapy on self-concept, counselors and psychologists can use schema therapy to increase self-concept.