Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Psychological Symptoms in Vitiligo Patients

Abstract

Background and Objective: Vitiligo is a chronic skin disease. Considering that this disease affects a person's appearance, psychological symptoms, such as depression, isolation, and low self-confidence, are very common in these patients. The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on psychological symptoms of patients with vitiligo disease. Materials and Methods: The present study employed a quasi-experimental design featuring a pre-test, post-test, and unequal control group. The statistical population of the research comprised soldiers and other military personnel with vitiligo who were serving in military centers of the armed forces in Tehran in 2020. The experimental group (n=11) received ACT, and the control group (n=13) did not receive any intervention. The subjects completed the questionnaires before and after the intervention. The analysis of covariance was used to analyze the data. Results: The results indicated that ACT improved depression, quality of life, and acceptance, and reduced experiential avoidance in vitiligo patients. No significant difference was observed in anxiety or mindfulness between the two groups. The effect size indicated that the differences between the groups were moderate. Conclusion: ACT is an evidence-based treatment for vitiligo patients, and psychologists can use this treatment to improve the quality of life and reduce the psychological symptoms of these patients.

Keywords

• acceptance and commitment therapy
• psychological symptoms
• vitiligo