Determining the Effectiveness of Cognitive Coping Therapy on Ambiguity Tolerance and Cognitive Flexibility in People With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Sadeghi, Saeid; Aghayousefi, Alireza; Nouhi, Shahnaz; Aghaei, Hakime

Volume 12 - Articles-1401 MEJDS (2022) 12: 183 | Back to browse issues page

Mendeley

Zotero

RefWorks

Sadeghi S, Aghayousefi A, Nouhi S, Aghaei H. Determining the Effectiveness of Cognitive Coping Therapy on Ambiguity Tolerance and Cognitive Flexibility in People With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. MEJDS 2022; 12 :183-183
URL: http://jdisabilstud.org/article-1-2928-en.html

Determining the Effectiveness of Cognitive Coping Therapy on Ambiguity Tolerance and Cognitive Flexibility in People With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Saeid Sadeghi¹

, Alireza Aghayousefi ^*²

, Shahnaz Nouhi³

, Hakime Aghaei³

1- PhD Student in Psychology, Shahrood Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahroud, Iran
2- Associate Professor in Psychology, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
3- Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Shahroud Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrood, Iran

Abstract: (854 Views)

Background & Objectives: Obsessive–compulsive disorder is diagnosed based on the presence of unwanted and disturbing thoughts and repetitive behaviors. A person suffering from obsessive–compulsive disorder shows disorders in executive functions, such as psychological flexibility, prevention from the occurrence of response, defects in visual and verbal memory and emotional processing. Cognitive flexibility is an important aspect of executive function, defined as the ability to adapt efficiently to changing demands. Research evidence shows that obsessive–compulsive disorder can affect the indecisiveness of patients. It indicates that obsessive people use a mechanism for ambiguity and potentially threatening stimuli, as well as for achieving a sense of control over stimuli. Harassers engage in behaviors that provoke ambiguity or uncertainty. One of the treatments whose effectiveness has been confirmed in psychological disorders is coping therapy. Therefore, this research aimed to determine the effectiveness of cognitive coping therapy on ambiguity tolerance and cognitive flexibility in people with obsessive–compulsive disorder.
Methods: The current research was quasi–experimental with a pretest–posttest design and a control group. The statistical population included people with obsessive–compulsive symptoms in the vocational training and occupational therapy camp of Semnan City, Iran, in 2021. Among the statistical population, 30 qualified volunteers were randomly entered into the study and assigned to experimental and control groups (each group included 15 people). The implementation method was such that after selecting the people of the sample group and before starting the treatment program, theAmbiguity Tolerance Questionnaire (McLain, 1993) and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire–II (Bond et al., 2011) were distributed between both groups. After that, the therapy intervention program was implemented in the experimental group (in the form of 14 90–min sessions, one session per week) and the control group was not subjected to any treatment program. In the end, the posttest was done again from both groups by the mentioned questionnaires. Also, after the research, to maintain the ethical standards, the treatment programs were implemented in the control group. The inclusion criteria were as follows: being interviewed based on DSM–5 criteria and also a higher than average score on the Yale–Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y–BOCS) (because the statistical population of this research comprised people with obsessive symptoms) which was carried out by a specialist in the field of clinical psychology, having at least a diploma level of education, not participating in other psychological interventions at the same time, lacking any debilitating physical and mental diseases diagnosed by the researcher using a clinical interview. The exclusion criteria were as follows: absence of more than three sessions, non–observance of group–therapy rules, and suffering from a physical or mental illness that did not exist before the treatment and was identified during the implementation. Data analysis was carried out in two parts: descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. At the level of descriptive statistics, frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation were used, and at the level of inferential statistics, multivariate covariance analysis was performed. Data analysis was done in SPSS software version 24 and the significance level of the tests was considered to be 0.05.
Results: The findings showed the significant (p<0.001) effect of cognitive coping therapy on ambiguity tolerance and cognitive flexibility in people with obsessive–compulsive disorder.
Conclusion: According to the findings, coping therapy focuses on the individual's coping style rather than directly affecting the tolerance of ambiguity and cognitive flexibility of obsessive–compulsive individuals. Also in the long term, by influencing these coping methods, it can affect tolerance ambiguity and cognitive flexibility.

Keywords: Cognitive coping therapy, Ambiguity tolerance, Cognitive flexibility, Obsession

Full-Text [PDF 406 kb] (462 Downloads)

Type of Study: Original Research Article | Subject: Psychology

References

1. American Psychiatric Association. Structured clinical interview for DSM-5. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2015.

2. Sadock BJ, Sadock VA, Ruiz P. Kaplan and Sadock's synopsis of psychiatry: behavioral sciences/clinical psychiatry. 11th edition. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2014.

3. Boswell JF, Thompson-Hollands J, Farchione TJ, Barlow DH. Intolerance of uncertainty: a common factor in the treatment of emotional disorders: intolerance of uncertainty. J Clin Psychol. 2013;69(6):630–45. [DOI]

4. Carleton RN. Fear of the unknown: one fear to rule them all? J Anxiety Disord. 2016;41:5–21. [DOI]

5. Furnham A, Marks J. Tolerance of ambiguity: a review of the recent literature. Psych. 2013;4(9):717–28. [DOI]

6. Koerner N, Mejia T, Kusec A. What’s in a name? intolerance of uncertainty, other uncertainty-relevant constructs, and their differential relations to worry and generalized anxiety disorder. Cogn Behav Ther. 2017;46(2):141–61. [DOI]

7. Zambianchi M, Ricci Bitti PE. The role of proactive coping strategies, time perspective, perceived efficacy on affect regulation, divergent thinking and family communication in promoting social well-being in emerging adulthood. Soc Indic Res. 2014;116(2):493–507. [DOI]

8. Andrés S, Lázaro L, Salamero M, Boget T, Penadés R, Castro-Fornieles J. Changes in cognitive dysfunction in children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder after treatment. J Psychiatr Res. 2008;42(6):507–14. [DOI]

9. Marshall EJ, Brockman RN. The relationships between psychological flexibility, self-compassion, and emotional well-being. J Cogn Psychother. 2016;30(1):60–72. [DOI]

10. Bryan CJ, Ray-Sannerud B, Heron EA. Psychological flexibility as a dimension of resilience for posttraumatic stress, depression, and risk for suicidal ideation among Air Force personnel. J Contextual Behav Sci. 2015;4(4):263–8. [DOI]

11. Hu T, Zhang D, Wang J. A meta-analysis of the trait resilience and mental health. Pers Individ Dif. 2015;76:18–27. [DOI]

12. Fledderus M, Bohlmeijer ET, Fox JP, Schreurs KMG, Spinhoven P. The role of psychological flexibility in a self-help acceptance and commitment therapy intervention for psychological distress in a randomized controlled trial. Behav Res Ther. 2013;51(3):142–51. [DOI]

13. Grey M, Jaser SS, Whittemore R, Jeon S, Lindemann E. Coping skills training for parents of children with type 1 diabetes: 12-month outcomes. Nurs Res. 2011;60(3):173–81. [DOI]

14. Wiedl KH. Coping-oriented therapy for Schizophrenia. Z Klin Psychol Psychopathol Psychother. 1994;42(2):89–117.

15. Lazarus R, Folkman S. Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York: Springer; 1984.

16. Aghayousefi AR. Naghshe avamel shakhsiati bar rahbord haye moghabele ei va tasire ravesh moghabele darmangari bar avamele shakhsiati va afsordegi [The role of personality factors on coping strategies and the effect of therapeutic coping methods on personality factors and depression] [PhD dissertation]. [Tehran, Iran]: Tarbiyat Modarress University; 2001. [Persian]

17. Aghayosfi A, Safari Y, Ahmadi S, Abbaspour P. Studying the effectiveness of coping therapy on psychological markers (stress, quality of life and coping strategies) of type II diabetic patients. Health Psychology. 2020;9(2):25–40. [Article]

18. Amini F, Aghayousfi A, Alipour A, Farzad V. Investigation on the effect of coping therapy on immunological biomarkers among multiple sclerosis patients. Health Psychology. 2021;9(4):169–83. [Persian] [Article]

19. Mclain DL. The Mstat-I: a new measure of an individual’s tolerance for ambiguity. Educational and Psychological Measurement. 1993;53(1):183–9. [DOI]

20. Bond FW, Hayes SC, Baer RA, Carpenter KM, Guenole N, Orcutt HK, Waltz T, Zettle RD. Preliminary psychometric properties of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II: a revised measure of psychological inflexibility and experiential avoidance. Behav Ther. 2011 Dec;42(4):676-88. [DOI]

21. Feizi A, Mahbobi T, Zareh H, Mostafaei A. The relationship of cognitive intelligence and ambiguity tolerance with entrepreneurship among students of West Azarbayjan Payam Noor university, Iran. Research in Behavioral Sciences. 2012;10(4):276–84. [Persian]

22. Bond FW, Lloyd J, Guenole N. The work-related acceptance and action questionnaire: Initial psychometric findings and their implications for measuring psychological flexibility in specific contexts. J Occup Organ Psychol. 2013;86(3):331–47. [DOI]

23. Imani M. Barrasiye sakhtare ameli porsesh name en’etaf paziri ravan shenakhti dar daneshjooyan [Examining the confirmatory factor structure of Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire]. Journal of Studies in Learning and Instruction. 2016;8(1):162–81. [Persian]

24. Oka S, Ueda R. Stress, emotional support and coping behavior of mothers with disabled pre-school children-mothers at outpatient department. J Med Dent Sci. 1998;45(3):185–93.

25. De Ridder D, Schreurs K. Developing interventions for chronically ill patients. Clin Psychol Rev. 2001;21(2):205–40. [DOI]

26. Sepahrian F, Rezaei Z. Mizan shoyou ezterab emtehan va tasire moghabele darmangari bar kaheshe mizan an va afzayeshe amalkard tahsili danesh amoozan dokhtar dabirestani [Prevalence of test anxiety and efficacy of coping therapy on test anxiety decreasing and improving academic achievement of female high school students]. Research in Curriculum Planning. 2010;7(25):65–80. [Persian] [Article]