Effectiveness of Compassion-Based Training on Psychological Flexibility and Health Related Quality of Life in Women with Breast Cancer

Abstract

Introduction and Aim: Women with breast cancer face many problems and challenges in life, especially in the areas of psychological flexibility and health related quality of life. This study was conducted with the aim of determine the effectiveness of compassion-based training on psychological flexibility and health related quality of life in women with breast cancer.

Methodology: The present research was a quasi-experimental with a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of this study was all women with breast cancer referred to Shafa Hospital of Ahvaz in the spring of 2026. The sample group was 40 people who were selected by purposive sampling method and randomly assigned into two groups of 20 people. The experimental group underwent 12 sessions of 90 minute (two sessions per week) by compassion-based training and the control group remained on the waiting list for the intervention. The research instruments included the psychological inflexibility questionnaire (Bond et al., 2011) and quality of life questionnaire in breast cancer patients (McLachlan et al., 1998). The data were analyzed using chi-square and multivariate analysis of covariance methods in SPSS-25 software at a significant level of 0.05.

Findings: The findings showed that there was no significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of age range and education level (P<0.05). Also, compassion-based training improved psychological flexibility and health related quality of life in women with breast cancer (P<0.001).

Conclusion: According to the results of this study, therapists and psychologists can use compassion-based training to improve psychological flexibility and health related quality of life in vulnerable groups, including women with breast cancer.