Effectiveness and Comparison of Transdiagnostic Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Mindfulness in Pregnant Women

Abstract

Introduction and Aim: Pregnancy is accompanied by extensive physical, emotional, and cognitive changes, and pregnant women are vulnerable to psychological problems such as anxiety, depression, and stress, which may negatively affect both maternal and fetal health. The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of transdiagnostic therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy on mindfulness in pregnant women and to determine whether there was a significant difference between these two therapeutic approaches in improving mindfulness.

Methodology: This study employed an experimental design with pretest, posttest, and three-month follow-up assessments alongside a control group. The statistical population consisted of pregnant women attending community health centers in District 14 of Tehran between March 2025 and May 2025. A total of 45 participants were selected using convenience sampling and randomly assigned into three groups: transdiagnostic therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and control (15 participants in each group). The intervention groups received twelve weekly 90-minute sessions, while the control group remained on a waiting list. Data were collected using the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire developed by Baer et al. (2006). Data analysis was conducted using repeated measures analysis of variance, Shapiro–Wilk test, Levene’s test, and Bonferroni post hoc test in SPSS-27 software.

Findings: The results of repeated measures ANOVA demonstrated a significant effect of time on mindfulness (p<0.001; F=190.91), and the interaction effect of time and group was also significant (p<0.001; F=34.16). Findings indicated that both transdiagnostic therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy significantly increased mindfulness scores in posttest and follow-up stages compared to the control group (p<0.05). Bonferroni post hoc comparisons revealed no significant difference between the two intervention groups (p>0.05), whereas both treatment groups showed significantly higher mindfulness levels than the control group during posttest and follow-up assessments. The therapeutic effects remained stable over the follow-up period.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that both transdiagnostic therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy are effective and durable interventions for improving mindfulness in pregnant women, with neither treatment demonstrating superiority over the other. Therefore, both approaches may be considered beneficial psychological interventions for enhancing mental health and reducing emotional difficulties during pregnancy.