The Comparison of The Effectiveness of Well‐Being Therapy with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Death Anxiety in The Elderly

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Department of Education Sciences, Mashhad branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

The elderly seems to be associated with many limitations and disabilities which can cause them to feel death anxiety. Therefore, the current study aimed to compare the effectiveness of well‐being therapy with acceptance and commitment therapy on death anxiety in the elderly. It was a quasi-experimental study with pretest-posttest-follow-up design with a control group. The statistical population of the present study included the community dwelling elderly members of day care centers with death anxiety, among whom 45 were selected using the convenience sampling method and assigned randomly into three groups, with each group containing 15 people. The experimental groups underwent eight 90-minute sessions of well‐being therapy or acceptance and commitment therapy, and no action was taken for the control group. Data collection tool included the Templer's Death Anxiety Scale. The results of Univariate Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) indicated that well‐being therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy had a significant effect on reducing death anxiety compared to the control group. However, there was no significant difference between the effectiveness of the two experimental groups. According to the results, well-being therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy can be applied to improve the death anxiety in the elderly.
References
Abdollahpour, M., Hafezi, F., Ehteshamzadeh, P., Naderi, F., & Pasha, R. (2019). Comparing the effectiveness of narrative therapy and ACT, in quality of life and existential anxiety on elders. Journal of Applied Psychological Research10(3), 133-146.
Ahmadi, A., Ghaemi, F., & Farrokhi, N. (2019). Effectiveness of mindfulness education and commitment and acceptance therapy on psychological distress and death anxiety in cancer patients in Isfahan. Journal of Psychological Science, 72(17), 951-956. [Persian]
Azeem, F., & Naz, M. A. (2015). Resilience, death anxiety, and depression among institutionalized and noninstitutionalized elderly. Pakistan Journal of Psychological Research, 4(2), 111-130.
Baharvandi, B., Kazemian Moghadam, K. K., & Rashidi, H. H. (2020). The Effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy on ambiguity tolerance and death anxiety in the elderly. Aging6(1), 13-26. [Persian]
Bala, R., & Maheshwari, S. K. (2019). Death anxiety and death depression among elderly. International Journal of Psychiatric Nursing5(1), 55-59.
Dinarvand, N., & Barghi Irani, Z. (2021). The Comparison of the effectiveness of metacognitive therapy and spiritual therapy on cognitive dissonance and feeling loneliness in the elderly living in nursing Homes. Aging Psychology7(2), 197-181. [Persian]
El-Gilany, A. H., Saleh, N. M. H., Mohamed, H. N. A. E. A., & Elsayed, E. B. M. (2017). Prevalence of insomnia and its associated factors among rural elderly: a community-based study. International Journal of Advanced Nursing Studies6(1), 56-67.
Fava, G. A., Ruini, C., Rafanelli, C., Finos, L., Salmaso, L., Mangelli, L., & Sirigatti, S. (2005). Well-being therapy o generalized anxiety disorder. Psychotherapy and psychosomatics74(1), 26-30.
Ghadimi, M., Mirzaian, B., Shahidi, M. (2021). Efficacy of well-being therapy on stress of infertility and rumination among women with infertility. Community Health, 8(4), 103-114. [Persian]
Golestanifar, S., & DashtBozorgi, Z. (2021). Comparing the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy and well-being therapy on life expectancy and psychological health in elderly nonclinical depressed patients. Journal of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, 20 (3), 297-312. [Persian]
Guidi, J., & Fava, G. A. (2021). Conceptual and clinical innovations of well-being therapy. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy14(1), 196-208.
Hajatpour, R., & Rashidi, H. H. (2021). The Effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy on irrational beliefs and death attitude in the elderly. Aging Psychology7(1), 43-54. [Persian]
Haroon, W., Khawaja, A. O., & Ghayas, S. (2018). Ego integrity, physical health status and death anxiety in older adults. Journal of Behavioural Sciences28(1), 18-32.
Hashemi, Z., Afshari, A., & Einy, S. (2020). The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment education on improving the mental health and quality of life of elderly people with cancer. Iranian Journal of Health Education and Health Promotion8(2), 160-171. [Persian]
Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (2011). Acceptance and commitment therapy: The process and practice of mindful change. Guilford Press.
Iranmanesh, R., & Dasht Bozorgi, Z. (2019). The Effect of health-oriented lifestyle training on psychological well-being, blood pressure and death anxiety of elderly women. Aging Psychology4(4), 263-273.
Khazaei, A., Shamsipour, H., & Davazdah Emamy, M. H. (2018). The effectiveness of Group well-being Therapy on marital satisfaction and psychological well-being among housewives. Shenakht Journal of Psychology & Psychiatry5(5), 43-52. [Persian]
Kim, Y. (2019). Factors influencing death anxiety in community-dwelling elderly: based on the ecology theory. The Korean Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care22(1), 30-38.
Maghsoudi, Z., Razavi, Z., Razavi, M., & Javadi, M. (2019). Efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy for emotional distress in the elderly with type 2 diabetes: A randomized controlled trial. Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy12, 2137. [Persian]
Menzies, R. E., Zuccala, M., Sharpe, L., & Dar-Nimrod, I. (2018). The effects of psychosocial interventions on death anxiety: A meta-analysis and systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Anxiety Disorders59, 64-73.
Mirzaei Dostan, Z., Zargar, Y., & Zandi Payam, A. (2019). The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment-based therapy on death anxiety and mental health of HIV-infected women in Abadan. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, 25(1), 2-13. [Persian]
Pandya, A. K., & Kathuria, T. (2021). Death anxiety, religiosity and culture: Implications for therapeutic process and future research. Religions12(1), 61.
Pirhayati, Z., & Barghi Irani, Z. (2017). The Effectiveness of acceptance and commitment-based treatment on mental health and cognitive function in elderly people with age-related macular degradation. Aging Psychology, 3(2), 137-146. [Persian]
Pirnia, B., Mansour, S., Najafi, E., & Reyhani, R. (2016). Effectiveness of Well Being Therapy on Symptoms of Anxiety, Stress and Depression in Men on Therapeutic-Community. Community Health Journal10(4), 47-56. [Persian]
Rajabi, G. H., & Bahrani, M. (2002). Factor analysis of death anxiety scale questions. Journal of Psychology5(4), 331-44. [Persian]
Ruini, C., & Fava, G. A. (2012). Role of well‐being therapy in achieving a balanced and individualized path to optimal functioning. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy19(4), 291-304.
Ryff, C. D. (1996). Psychological well-being: Meaning, measurement, and implications for psychotherapy research. Psychotherapy and psychosomatics65(1), 14-23.
Sadri Demichi, E., & Ramezani, S. (2016). Effectiveness of existential therapy on loneliness and death anxiety in the elderly. Aging Psychology2(1), 12-1. [Persian]
Safari Mousavi, S., Ghazanfari, F., & Mirdrikund, F. (2019). The Effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy on death anxiety in women with inflammation in Khorramabad. Journal of Clinical Nursing and Midwifery, 4(3), 234- 241. [Persian]
Seo, Y., & Shin, S. (2019). The relationship among attitudes toward the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment, death anxiety, and death acceptance among hospitalized elderly cancer patients. Asian Oncology Nursing19(3), 142-149.
Sharma, P., Asthana, H. S., Gambhir, I. S., & Ranjan, J. K. (2019). Death anxiety among elderly people: role of gender, spirituality and mental health. Indian Journal of Gerontology33(3), 240-254.
Templer, D. I. (1970). The construction and validation of a death anxiety scale. The Journal of General Psychology82(2), 165-177.
Thompson, B. A., & Schary, D. P. (2021). Well-being therapy: An approach to increase athlete well-being and performance. Journal of Sport Psychology in Action12(1), 1-10.

Keywords


References
Abdollahpour, M., Hafezi, F., Ehteshamzadeh, P., Naderi, F., & Pasha, R. (2019). Comparing the effectiveness of narrative therapy and ACT, in quality of life and existential anxiety on elders. Journal of Applied Psychological Research10(3), 133-146.
Ahmadi, A., Ghaemi, F., & Farrokhi, N. (2019). Effectiveness of mindfulness education and commitment and acceptance therapy on psychological distress and death anxiety in cancer patients in Isfahan. Journal of Psychological Science, 72(17), 951-956. [Persian]
Azeem, F., & Naz, M. A. (2015). Resilience, death anxiety, and depression among institutionalized and noninstitutionalized elderly. Pakistan Journal of Psychological Research, 4(2), 111-130.
Baharvandi, B., Kazemian Moghadam, K. K., & Rashidi, H. H. (2020). The Effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy on ambiguity tolerance and death anxiety in the elderly. Aging6(1), 13-26. [Persian]
Bala, R., & Maheshwari, S. K. (2019). Death anxiety and death depression among elderly. International Journal of Psychiatric Nursing5(1), 55-59.
Dinarvand, N., & Barghi Irani, Z. (2021). The Comparison of the effectiveness of metacognitive therapy and spiritual therapy on cognitive dissonance and feeling loneliness in the elderly living in nursing Homes. Aging Psychology7(2), 197-181. [Persian]
El-Gilany, A. H., Saleh, N. M. H., Mohamed, H. N. A. E. A., & Elsayed, E. B. M. (2017). Prevalence of insomnia and its associated factors among rural elderly: a community-based study. International Journal of Advanced Nursing Studies6(1), 56-67.
Fava, G. A., Ruini, C., Rafanelli, C., Finos, L., Salmaso, L., Mangelli, L., & Sirigatti, S. (2005). Well-being therapy o generalized anxiety disorder. Psychotherapy and psychosomatics74(1), 26-30.
Ghadimi, M., Mirzaian, B., Shahidi, M. (2021). Efficacy of well-being therapy on stress of infertility and rumination among women with infertility. Community Health, 8(4), 103-114. [Persian]
Golestanifar, S., & DashtBozorgi, Z. (2021). Comparing the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy and well-being therapy on life expectancy and psychological health in elderly nonclinical depressed patients. Journal of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, 20 (3), 297-312. [Persian]
Guidi, J., & Fava, G. A. (2021). Conceptual and clinical innovations of well-being therapy. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy14(1), 196-208.
Hajatpour, R., & Rashidi, H. H. (2021). The Effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy on irrational beliefs and death attitude in the elderly. Aging Psychology7(1), 43-54. [Persian]
Haroon, W., Khawaja, A. O., & Ghayas, S. (2018). Ego integrity, physical health status and death anxiety in older adults. Journal of Behavioural Sciences28(1), 18-32.
Hashemi, Z., Afshari, A., & Einy, S. (2020). The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment education on improving the mental health and quality of life of elderly people with cancer. Iranian Journal of Health Education and Health Promotion8(2), 160-171. [Persian]
Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (2011). Acceptance and commitment therapy: The process and practice of mindful change. Guilford Press.
Iranmanesh, R., & Dasht Bozorgi, Z. (2019). The Effect of health-oriented lifestyle training on psychological well-being, blood pressure and death anxiety of elderly women. Aging Psychology4(4), 263-273.
Khazaei, A., Shamsipour, H., & Davazdah Emamy, M. H. (2018). The effectiveness of Group well-being Therapy on marital satisfaction and psychological well-being among housewives. Shenakht Journal of Psychology & Psychiatry5(5), 43-52. [Persian]
Kim, Y. (2019). Factors influencing death anxiety in community-dwelling elderly: based on the ecology theory. The Korean Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care22(1), 30-38.
Maghsoudi, Z., Razavi, Z., Razavi, M., & Javadi, M. (2019). Efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy for emotional distress in the elderly with type 2 diabetes: A randomized controlled trial. Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy12, 2137. [Persian]
Menzies, R. E., Zuccala, M., Sharpe, L., & Dar-Nimrod, I. (2018). The effects of psychosocial interventions on death anxiety: A meta-analysis and systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Anxiety Disorders59, 64-73.
Mirzaei Dostan, Z., Zargar, Y., & Zandi Payam, A. (2019). The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment-based therapy on death anxiety and mental health of HIV-infected women in Abadan. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, 25(1), 2-13. [Persian]
Pandya, A. K., & Kathuria, T. (2021). Death anxiety, religiosity and culture: Implications for therapeutic process and future research. Religions12(1), 61.
Pirhayati, Z., & Barghi Irani, Z. (2017). The Effectiveness of acceptance and commitment-based treatment on mental health and cognitive function in elderly people with age-related macular degradation. Aging Psychology, 3(2), 137-146. [Persian]
Pirnia, B., Mansour, S., Najafi, E., & Reyhani, R. (2016). Effectiveness of Well Being Therapy on Symptoms of Anxiety, Stress and Depression in Men on Therapeutic-Community. Community Health Journal10(4), 47-56. [Persian]
Rajabi, G. H., & Bahrani, M. (2002). Factor analysis of death anxiety scale questions. Journal of Psychology5(4), 331-44. [Persian]
Ruini, C., & Fava, G. A. (2012). Role of well‐being therapy in achieving a balanced and individualized path to optimal functioning. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy19(4), 291-304.
Ryff, C. D. (1996). Psychological well-being: Meaning, measurement, and implications for psychotherapy research. Psychotherapy and psychosomatics65(1), 14-23.
Sadri Demichi, E., & Ramezani, S. (2016). Effectiveness of existential therapy on loneliness and death anxiety in the elderly. Aging Psychology2(1), 12-1. [Persian]
Safari Mousavi, S., Ghazanfari, F., & Mirdrikund, F. (2019). The Effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy on death anxiety in women with inflammation in Khorramabad. Journal of Clinical Nursing and Midwifery, 4(3), 234- 241. [Persian]
Seo, Y., & Shin, S. (2019). The relationship among attitudes toward the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment, death anxiety, and death acceptance among hospitalized elderly cancer patients. Asian Oncology Nursing19(3), 142-149.
Sharma, P., Asthana, H. S., Gambhir, I. S., & Ranjan, J. K. (2019). Death anxiety among elderly people: role of gender, spirituality and mental health. Indian Journal of Gerontology33(3), 240-254.
Templer, D. I. (1970). The construction and validation of a death anxiety scale. The Journal of General Psychology82(2), 165-177.
Thompson, B. A., & Schary, D. P. (2021). Well-being therapy: An approach to increase athlete well-being and performance. Journal of Sport Psychology in Action12(1), 1-10.