Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Psychological Well-Being in Patients with Cancer

Samaneh  Fard; Maryam  Salarifard; Maedeh  Motevali; Mohammad Mahdi Moghadm Nia

Authors

Samaneh Fard MA, Department of Personality Psychology, South Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0007-0656-9969
Maryam Salarifard MA, Department of Personality Psychology, South Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6641-4164
Maedeh Motevali MA, Department of Personality Psychology, South Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7362-3677
Mohammad Mahdi Moghadm Nia Department of Psychology, ST.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran https://orcid.org/0009-0006-5121-3956

Keywords:

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Psychological Well-Being, Cancer, Psychological Flexibility, Psychosocial Intervention

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in improving the psychological well-being of patients diagnosed with cancer.

Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest–posttest design with a control group and a follow-up assessment. The statistical sample consisted of 60 patients with cancer who were selected through purposive sampling and assigned to three groups of 20 participants. Participants in the intervention groups received an ACT-based intervention consisting of eight 45-minute sessions delivered over one month, whereas the control group received no psychological intervention during the study period. Psychological well-being was assessed using Ryff’s 84-item Psychological Well-Being Scale (1989) at the pretest, posttest, and follow-up stages. The collected data were analyzed using inferential statistical procedures in SPSS version 25.

Findings: The inferential analysis demonstrated a statistically significant difference between the intervention and control groups in posttest psychological well-being scores. Participants who received Acceptance and Commitment Therapy showed significantly higher levels of psychological well-being than those in the control group. The intervention produced a very large effect size (η² = 0.935), indicating that a substantial proportion of the variance in post-intervention psychological well-being was attributable to the therapeutic intervention. The follow-up analysis further showed that the improvement in psychological well-being was maintained after the completion of treatment, suggesting the stability and durability of the intervention effects over time.

Conclusion: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is an effective psychological intervention for enhancing psychological well-being among patients with cancer. By promoting psychological flexibility, acceptance of difficult internal experiences, present-moment awareness, and engagement in value-oriented behaviors, ACT may help patients cope more adaptively with the psychological consequences of cancer. Therefore, this intervention may be incorporated into psychosocial rehabilitation and supportive care programs for patients with cancer.

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