The Comparison of the Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Existentialism Therapy on Increasing Psychological Capital in the Elderly

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD Student in Counseling, Dept. of Counseling, Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University of Bojnourd, Bojnord, I.R. Iran

2 Department of Counseling, Humanities Faculty, University of Bojnord, Bojnord, Iran

3 Dept. of Counseling, Humanities Faculty, Islamic Azad University of Bojnourd,, Bojnord, Iran

Abstract

Having psychological capital enables people to not only cope better with stressful situations, but also have less stress and have more ability to cope with problems. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy and existentialism therapy on increasing psychological capital in the elderly. The current research was a quasi-experimental with pre-experimental-post-experimental with control group design. The statistical population of the present study included all members of the Bojnourd retirement association in 2020, who were at least 60 years old. The sample of the study included 45 age individuals who selected through targeted sampling as well as inclusion criteria and assigned randomely into two experimental groups (15 people in each group) and one control group (15 people). The research tool was the Luthans’s psychological capital questionnaire. Acceptance and commitment therapy package was delivered in eight 90-minute sessions and existential therapy in ten 90-minute sessions for experimental groups. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and Bonferroni post hoc test using SPSS-22. The results indicated acceptance and commitment therapy and existential therapy were effective in increasing participants' psychological capital. Therefore, aforementioned therapies can be used to increase the psychological capital of the aged people.
References
Avey, J. B. Luthans, F., & Jensen, S. M. (2009). Psychological capital: A positive resource for combating employee stress and turnover. Human resource management, 48(5), 667-693.

Avey, J. B., Reichard, R. J., Luthans, F., & Mhatre, K. H. (2011). Meta‐analysis of the impact of positive psychological capital on employee attitudes, behaviors, and performance. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 22(2), 127-152.
Bach, P. A., & Moran, D. J. (2017). ACT in practice: Case conceptualization in acceptance and commitment therapy. (Trans. S. Kamali., & N, Kian rad). New Harbinger Publications. [Persian]
Baghban Baghestan, A., Aerab Sheibani, K., & Javedani Masrur, M. (2017). Acceptance and commitment based therapy on disease perception and psychological capital in patients with type II diabetes. The Horizon of Medical Sciences, 23(2), 135-140. [Persian]
Bahadori Khosroshahi, J., Hashemi Nosratabadi, T., & Bayrami, M. (2013). The relationship between psychological capital and personality traits with job satisfaction among librarians’ in public libraries in Tabriz. Pejouhandeh, 17(6), 308-312. [Persian]
Briggs, A. M., Cross, M. J., Hoy, D. G. Sanchez-Riera., L. Blyth, F. M., Woolf, A. D., & March, L. (2016). Musculoskeletal health conditions represent a global threat to healthy aging: a report for the 2015 World Health Organization world report on ageing and health. The Gerontologist, 56(2), 243-255.
Brown, F. J., & Hooper, S. (2009). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with a learning disabled young person experiencing anxious and obsessive thoughts. Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 13(3), 195-201.

Carver, C. S., Scheier, M. F., & Segerstrom, S. C. (2010). Optimism. Clinical Psychology Review, 20(7), 879-889.
Corsini, J. R. & Wedding, Danny. (2011). Current Psychotherapies. Brooks/Cole. Ninth Edition.
Corsini, R. J. (2008). Handbook of Innovative Therapies. 2nd ed. John Wiley.
Dening, T., & Barapatre, C. (2004). Mental health and the ageing population. British Menopause Society Journal, 10(2), 49-53.
Dionne, F., Ngô, T. L., & Blais, M. C. (2013). The psychological flexibility model: a new approach to mental health. Sante Mentale au Quebec, 38(2), 111-130.
Fang, S., & Ding, D. (2020). The efficacy of group-based acceptance and commitment therapy on psychological capital and school engagement: A pilot study among Chinese adolescents. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 16(1), 134–143.
Fazeli Kebria, M., Hassanzadeh, R., Mirzaeian, B., & Khajevand Khosheli, A. (2018). The Effectiveness of acceptance and commitment group therapy on psychological capital in cardiovascular patients in Babol. Journal of Babol University of Medical Sciences, 20(4), 68-73. [Persian]
Flaxman, P. E., Blackledge, J. T., & Bond, F. W. (2010). Acceptance and commitment therapy: Distinctive features. Routledge.
Forman, E. M., Herbert, J. D., Moitra, E., Yeomans, P. D., & Geller, P. A. (2007). A randomized controlled effectiveness trial of acceptance and commitment therapy and cognitive therapy for anxiety and depression. Behavior Modification, 31(6), 772-799.
Frankl, V. E. (1967). Logotherapy and existentialism. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, 4(3), 138–142.
Garrow, S., & Walker, J. A. (2001). Existential group therapy and death anxiety. Adultspan Journal, 3(2), 77-87.
Hayes, S. C., & Lillis, J. (2012). Acceptance and commitment therapy. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Hayes, S. C., Pistorello, J., & Levin, M. E. (2012). Acceptance and commitment therapy as a unified model of behavior change. The Counseling Psychologist, 40(7), 976-1002.
Heyes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (1999). Acceptance and commitment therapy: An experiential approach to behavior change. New York: Guilford.
Izadi, r., & Abedi, M. (2015). Acceptance and commitment therapy. Jungle Publications. [Persian]
Jalili, N. S., Rezaie, Z., Nejati, N. N., Ghasemi, J. R., & Nooryan, K. H. (2015). Effectiveness of existential psychotherapy in increasing the resiliency of infertile women. Armaghane-danesh, 20(5), 453-459. [Persian]
Johnston, M., Foster, M., Shennan, J., Starkey, N. J., & Johnson, A. (2010). The effectiveness of an acceptance and commitment therapy self-help intervention for chronic pain. The Clinical Journal of Pain, 26(5), 393-402.
Khezri Moghadam, N., Vahidi, S., & Ashormahani, M. (2018). Efficiency of cognitive-existential group therapy on life expectancy and depression of elderly residing in nursing home. Iranian Journal of Ageing, 13(1), 62-73. [Persian]
Kissane D. W., Bloch, S., Smith, G. C., Miach, P., Clarke, D. M., Ikin, J., Love, A., Ranieri, N., & McKenzie, D. (2003) Cognitive-existential group psychotherapy for women with primary breast cancer: A Randomized controlled trial. Psych Oncology, 12(6), 532-546.
Luppa, M., Sikorski, C., Luck, T., Ehreke, L., Konnopka, A., Wiese, B., Weyerer, S.,  König, H. H., & Riedel-Heller, S. G. (2012). Age-and gender-specific prevalence of depression in latest-life–systematic review and meta-analysis.  Journal of Affective Disorders, 136(3), 212-221.
Luthans, .F, Youssef, C., & Avolio, B. J. (2007). Psychological Capital: Developing the human competitive edge, Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.
Maemondo, M., Minegishi, Y., Inoue, A., Kobayashi, K., Harada, M., Okinaga, S., Morikawa, N., Oizumi, S., Tanaka,T., sobe,H., Kudoh,SH., Hagiwara,K., Nukiwa, T., Gemmah, A., & Kudoh, S. (2012). First-line gefitinib in patients aged 75 or older with advanced non–small cell lung cancer harboring epidermal growth factor receptor mutations: NEJ 3 study. Journal of Thoracic Oncology, 7(9), 1417-1422.
Marsa, R., Bahmani, B., Naghiyaee, M., & Barekati, S. (2017). The effectiveness of cognitive-existential group therapy on reducing demoralization in the elderly. World Family Medicine Journal: Incorporating the Middle East Journal of Family Medicine 99(55), 1-8.
Mascaro, N., & Rosen, D. H. (2006). The role of existential meaning as a buffer against stress. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 46(2), 168-190.
Milbury, Kathrin, Amy Spelman, Christopher Wood, Surena F. Matin, Nizar Tannir, Eric Jonasch, Louis Pisters, Qi Wei, and Lorenzo Cohen. (2014). Randomized controlled trial of expressive writing for patients with renal cell carcinoma Randomized controlled trial of expressive writing for patients with renal cell carcinoma. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 32(7), 663-670.
Missler, M. Stroebe, M. Geurtsen, L. Mastenbroek, M. Chmoun, S. & Van Der Houwen, K. (2012). Exploring death anxiety among elderly people: A literature review and empirical investigation. OMEGA-Journal of Death and Dying, 64(4), 357-379.
Moghadam, N. K., Vahidi, S., & Ashormahani, M. (2018). Efficiency of Cognitive-Existential Group Therapy on Life Expectancy and Depression of Elderly Residing in Nursing Homes. Salmand-Iranian Journal of Ageing, 13(1), 62-73. [Persian]
Ranheim, A., Kärner, A., & Berterö, C. (2011). Eliciting reflections on caring theory in elderly caring practice. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-Being, 6(3), 72-96.
Roemer, L., Lee, J. K., Salters-Pedneault, K., Erisman, S. M., Orsillo, S. M., & Mennin, D. S. (2009). Mindfulness and emotion regulation difficulties in generalized anxiety disorder: Preliminary evidence for independent and overlapping contributions. Behavior Therapy, 40(2), 142-154.
Saffarinia, M., & Dortaj, A. (2018). Effect of group logotherapy on life expectancy and mental and social wellbeing of the female elderly residents of nursing homes in Dubai. Iranian Journal of Ageing, 12(4), 482-493. [Persian]
Shamsaei, F., Cheraghi, F., Esmaeili, R., & Mohsenifard, J. (2014). Explanation of loneliness in the elderly and comparison with psychosocial development theory: a quantitative study. Journal of Educational and Communiy Health, 1(2), 30-38. [Persian]
Shariatmadar, A. (2015). Existential consciousness in group therapy. Danjeh Publications. [Persian]
Shirali, S., & DashtBozorgi, Z. (2019). Effect of existential group therapy on distress tolerance, existential anxiety, meta-worry and health worry in elderly women with cardiovascular disease. Iranian Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 7(4), 24-33. [Persian]
Skoog, I. (2011). Psychiatric disorders in the elderly. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 56(7), 387-397.
Smith, J. M., Grandin, L. D., Alloy, L. B., & Abramson, L. Y. (2006). Cognitive vulnerability to depression and axis II personality dysfunction. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 30, 609–621.
Snyder, C. R., & Ingram, R. E. (2000). Handbook of psychological change: Psychotherapy processes & practices for the 21st century. New York: Wiley.
Sotodehasl, N., Kahouei, M., & Fodaji, F. (2018). Social and psychological capital and its relation with academic achievement among medical sciences students of Semnan University of medical sciences, Semnan, Iran. Koomesh, 20(2), 256-262. [Persian]
Suri, R. (2010). Working with the elderly: An existential—humanistic approach. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 50(2), 175-186.
Swann Jr, W. B., & Pelham, B. (2002). Who wants out when the going gets good? Psychological investment and preference for self-verifying college roommates. Self and Identity, 1(3), 219-233.
Sweetman, D., Luthans, F., Avey, J. B., & Luthans, B. C. (2011). Relationship between positive psychological capital and creative performance. Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences/Revue Canadienne des Sciences de l'Administration, 28(1), 4-13.
Teslyar, P., Stock, V. M., Wilk, C. M., Camsari, U., Ehrenreich, M. J., & Himelhoch, S. (2013). Prophylaxis with antipsychotic medication reduces the risk of post-operative delirium in elderly patients: a meta-analysis. Focus, 11(4), 544-551.
Wilkinson, T., & Macleod, S. (2008). Strategies to improve nutrition in elderly people. Best Practice Journal, 15(1), 8-15.
Yalom, I. D. (1980). Existential psychotherapy. (Trans. S, Habib) Hachette Uk Publications. [Persian]

Keywords

References

Avey, J. B. Luthans, F., & Jensen, S. M. (2009). Psychological capital: A positive resource for combating employee stress and turnover. Human resource management, 48(5), 667-693.
Avey, J. B., Reichard, R. J., Luthans, F., & Mhatre, K. H. (2011). Meta‐analysis of the impact of positive psychological capital on employee attitudes, behaviors, and performance. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 22(2), 127-152.
Bach, P. A., & Moran, D. J. (2017). ACT in practice: Case conceptualization in acceptance and commitment therapy. (Trans. S. Kamali., & N, Kian rad). New Harbinger Publications. [Persian]
Baghban Baghestan, A., Aerab Sheibani, K., & Javedani Masrur, M. (2017). Acceptance and commitment based therapy on disease perception and psychological capital in patients with type II diabetes. The Horizon of Medical Sciences, 23(2), 135-140. [Persian]
Bahadori Khosroshahi, J., Hashemi Nosratabadi, T., & Bayrami, M. (2013). The relationship between psychological capital and personality traits with job satisfaction among librarians’ in public libraries in Tabriz. Pejouhandeh, 17(6), 308-312. [Persian]
Briggs, A. M., Cross, M. J., Hoy, D. G. Sanchez-Riera., L. Blyth, F. M., Woolf, A. D., & March, L. (2016). Musculoskeletal health conditions represent a global threat to healthy aging: a report for the 2015 World Health Organization world report on ageing and health. The Gerontologist, 56(2), 243-255.
Brown, F. J., & Hooper, S. (2009). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with a learning disabled young person experiencing anxious and obsessive thoughts. Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 13(3), 195-201.
Carver, C. S., Scheier, M. F., & Segerstrom, S. C. (2010). Optimism. Clinical Psychology Review, 20(7), 879-889.
Corsini, J. R. & Wedding, Danny. (2011). Current Psychotherapies. Brooks/Cole. Ninth Edition.
Corsini, R. J. (2008). Handbook of Innovative Therapies. 2nd ed. John Wiley.
Dening, T., & Barapatre, C. (2004). Mental health and the ageing population. British Menopause Society Journal, 10(2), 49-53.
Dionne, F., Ngô, T. L., & Blais, M. C. (2013). The psychological flexibility model: a new approach to mental health. Sante Mentale au Quebec, 38(2), 111-130.
Fang, S., & Ding, D. (2020). The efficacy of group-based acceptance and commitment therapy on psychological capital and school engagement: A pilot study among Chinese adolescents. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 16(1), 134–143.
Fazeli Kebria, M., Hassanzadeh, R., Mirzaeian, B., & Khajevand Khosheli, A. (2018). The Effectiveness of acceptance and commitment group therapy on psychological capital in cardiovascular patients in Babol. Journal of Babol University of Medical Sciences, 20(4), 68-73. [Persian]
Flaxman, P. E., Blackledge, J. T., & Bond, F. W. (2010). Acceptance and commitment therapy: Distinctive features. Routledge.
Forman, E. M., Herbert, J. D., Moitra, E., Yeomans, P. D., & Geller, P. A. (2007). A randomized controlled effectiveness trial of acceptance and commitment therapy and cognitive therapy for anxiety and depression. Behavior Modification, 31(6), 772-799.
Frankl, V. E. (1967). Logotherapy and existentialism. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, 4(3), 138–142.
Garrow, S., & Walker, J. A. (2001). Existential group therapy and death anxiety. Adultspan Journal, 3(2), 77-87.
Hayes, S. C., & Lillis, J. (2012). Acceptance and commitment therapy. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Hayes, S. C., Pistorello, J., & Levin, M. E. (2012). Acceptance and commitment therapy as a unified model of behavior change. The Counseling Psychologist, 40(7), 976-1002.
Heyes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (1999). Acceptance and commitment therapy: An experiential approach to behavior change. New York: Guilford.
Izadi, r., & Abedi, M. (2015). Acceptance and commitment therapy. Jungle Publications. [Persian]
Jalili, N. S., Rezaie, Z., Nejati, N. N., Ghasemi, J. R., & Nooryan, K. H. (2015). Effectiveness of existential psychotherapy in increasing the resiliency of infertile women. Armaghane-danesh, 20(5), 453-459. [Persian]
Johnston, M., Foster, M., Shennan, J., Starkey, N. J., & Johnson, A. (2010). The effectiveness of an acceptance and commitment therapy self-help intervention for chronic pain. The Clinical Journal of Pain, 26(5), 393-402.
Khezri Moghadam, N., Vahidi, S., & Ashormahani, M. (2018). Efficiency of cognitive-existential group therapy on life expectancy and depression of elderly residing in nursing home. Iranian Journal of Ageing, 13(1), 62-73. [Persian]
Kissane D. W., Bloch, S., Smith, G. C., Miach, P., Clarke, D. M., Ikin, J., Love, A., Ranieri, N., & McKenzie, D. (2003) Cognitive-existential group psychotherapy for women with primary breast cancer: A Randomized controlled trial. Psych Oncology, 12(6), 532-546.
Luppa, M., Sikorski, C., Luck, T., Ehreke, L., Konnopka, A., Wiese, B., Weyerer, S.,  König, H. H., & Riedel-Heller, S. G. (2012). Age-and gender-specific prevalence of depression in latest-life–systematic review and meta-analysis.  Journal of Affective Disorders, 136(3), 212-221.
Luthans, .F, Youssef, C., & Avolio, B. J. (2007). Psychological Capital: Developing the human competitive edge, Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.
Maemondo, M., Minegishi, Y., Inoue, A., Kobayashi, K., Harada, M., Okinaga, S., Morikawa, N., Oizumi, S., Tanaka,T., sobe,H., Kudoh,SH., Hagiwara,K., Nukiwa, T., Gemmah, A., & Kudoh, S. (2012). First-line gefitinib in patients aged 75 or older with advanced non–small cell lung cancer harboring epidermal growth factor receptor mutations: NEJ 3 study. Journal of Thoracic Oncology, 7(9), 1417-1422.
Marsa, R., Bahmani, B., Naghiyaee, M., & Barekati, S. (2017). The effectiveness of cognitive-existential group therapy on reducing demoralization in the elderly. World Family Medicine Journal: Incorporating the Middle East Journal of Family Medicine 99(55), 1-8.
Mascaro, N., & Rosen, D. H. (2006). The role of existential meaning as a buffer against stress. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 46(2), 168-190.
Milbury, Kathrin, Amy Spelman, Christopher Wood, Surena F. Matin, Nizar Tannir, Eric Jonasch, Louis Pisters, Qi Wei, and Lorenzo Cohen. (2014). Randomized controlled trial of expressive writing for patients with renal cell carcinoma Randomized controlled trial of expressive writing for patients with renal cell carcinoma. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 32(7), 663-670.
Missler, M. Stroebe, M. Geurtsen, L. Mastenbroek, M. Chmoun, S. & Van Der Houwen, K. (2012). Exploring death anxiety among elderly people: A literature review and empirical investigation. OMEGA-Journal of Death and Dying, 64(4), 357-379.
Moghadam, N. K., Vahidi, S., & Ashormahani, M. (2018). Efficiency of Cognitive-Existential Group Therapy on Life Expectancy and Depression of Elderly Residing in Nursing Homes. Salmand-Iranian Journal of Ageing, 13(1), 62-73. [Persian]
Ranheim, A., Kärner, A., & Berterö, C. (2011). Eliciting reflections on caring theory in elderly caring practice. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-Being, 6(3), 72-96.
Roemer, L., Lee, J. K., Salters-Pedneault, K., Erisman, S. M., Orsillo, S. M., & Mennin, D. S. (2009). Mindfulness and emotion regulation difficulties in generalized anxiety disorder: Preliminary evidence for independent and overlapping contributions. Behavior Therapy, 40(2), 142-154.
Saffarinia, M., & Dortaj, A. (2018). Effect of group logotherapy on life expectancy and mental and social wellbeing of the female elderly residents of nursing homes in Dubai. Iranian Journal of Ageing, 12(4), 482-493. [Persian]
Shamsaei, F., Cheraghi, F., Esmaeili, R., & Mohsenifard, J. (2014). Explanation of loneliness in the elderly and comparison with psychosocial development theory: a quantitative study. Journal of Educational and Communiy Health, 1(2), 30-38. [Persian]
Shariatmadar, A. (2015). Existential consciousness in group therapy. Danjeh Publications. [Persian]
Shirali, S., & DashtBozorgi, Z. (2019). Effect of existential group therapy on distress tolerance, existential anxiety, meta-worry and health worry in elderly women with cardiovascular disease. Iranian Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 7(4), 24-33. [Persian]
Skoog, I. (2011). Psychiatric disorders in the elderly. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 56(7), 387-397.
Smith, J. M., Grandin, L. D., Alloy, L. B., & Abramson, L. Y. (2006). Cognitive vulnerability to depression and axis II personality dysfunction. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 30, 609–621.
Snyder, C. R., & Ingram, R. E. (2000). Handbook of psychological change: Psychotherapy processes & practices for the 21st century. New York: Wiley.
Sotodehasl, N., Kahouei, M., & Fodaji, F. (2018). Social and psychological capital and its relation with academic achievement among medical sciences students of Semnan University of medical sciences, Semnan, Iran. Koomesh, 20(2), 256-262. [Persian]
Suri, R. (2010). Working with the elderly: An existential—humanistic approach. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 50(2), 175-186.
Swann Jr, W. B., & Pelham, B. (2002). Who wants out when the going gets good? Psychological investment and preference for self-verifying college roommates. Self and Identity, 1(3), 219-233.
Sweetman, D., Luthans, F., Avey, J. B., & Luthans, B. C. (2011). Relationship between positive psychological capital and creative performance. Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences/Revue Canadienne des Sciences de l'Administration, 28(1), 4-13.
Teslyar, P., Stock, V. M., Wilk, C. M., Camsari, U., Ehrenreich, M. J., & Himelhoch, S. (2013). Prophylaxis with antipsychotic medication reduces the risk of post-operative delirium in elderly patients: a meta-analysis. Focus, 11(4), 544-551.
Wilkinson, T., & Macleod, S. (2008). Strategies to improve nutrition in elderly people. Best Practice Journal, 15(1), 8-15.
Yalom, I. D. (1980). Existential psychotherapy. (Trans. S, Habib) Hachette Uk Publications. [Persian]

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  • Receive Date: 06 July 2020
  • Accept Date: 18 September 2020

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