The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy Training on Anxiety of Death and Thoughts of Suicide of Patients With Cancer

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive group therapy (MBCT) on reducing suicidal thoughts and death anxiety of patients with cancer. Materials and Methods: This study was applied and semi-experimental conducted by using pre-test and post-test with a control group. The research community included all patients with cancer who referred to Shahid Mohammadi hospital in Bandar Abbas. It contained 30 cancer patients who were selected through purposive sampling method and randomly placed in two experimental and control groups (15 individuals per group). The members of both groups completed Templer’s death anxiety questionnaire and Beck's suicidal thoughts before and after the sessions of group therapy (within three months). Findings were analyzed by SPSS software and univariate covariance analysis (ANCOVA) test. Results: The results showed that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) training significantly reduced the suicidal thoughts and death anxiety in the experimental group (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, it is essential that medical care and support forums related to refractory patients to reduce psychological symptoms in patients use mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in their treatment programs.