Effectiveness of Stress Management Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy on Psychological and Physiological Indexes of Mothers Volunteer to Cesarean Surgery

Abstract

Aim and Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of stress management cognitive-behavioral therapy on psychological and physiological indexes of patients that volunteer to Cesarean surgery. Methods and Materials: The design of research was quasi-experimental with pre- and post-test design and control group. 26 subjects were selected of the list of elective surgery in March 2009 and assigned randomly to experimental and control groups (n = 13 for each one). Stress management intervention was conducted in experimental group and no intervention in was done in control group. Spilberger Inventory of Anxiety and Beck Depression Inventory were completed and patients’ blood pressure and pain were measured. Data were analyzed using ANCOVA test. Findings: Mean scores of anxiety, depression, pain, blood pressure and pulse rate had significant reduction among the experimental group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Stress management cognitive-behavior intervention can be a selective psychotherapy in patients volunteer to Cesarean surgery; but in this therapy, in addition to automatic thoughts, we should also consider to core beliefs and underlying assumptions to enhance the efficacy of intervention.

Keywords

• stress management
• cognitive-behavioral intervention
• anxiety
• depression
• cesarean