The effectiveness of positive psychology interventions with Islamic approach to increase hope in females with multiple sclerosis

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Hadis Saeedi ^{1, 2}
• Hossein Mousavi Nasab ³
• Ali Mehdi Zadeh ZareAnari ⁴
• Hossein Ali Ebrahimi ⁵
• Mohsen Gorgani Nezhad ⁴
• Kouros Divsalar ⁶

¹ MA in Clinical psychology, Neurology Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

² Department of Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Kerman Branch, Kerman, Iran

³ assistant Professor of Psychology, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

⁴ Psychiatrist, Neurology Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

⁵ Professor, Neurology Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

⁶ Senior researcher, Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the common chronic diseases of central nervous system which has an impact on the person’s sensory and motor functions. Since definitive and complete treatment of disease symptoms is unavailable in chronic diseases, it is tried to help these patients by psychological supports to accept that they are able to change their view toward disease and enjoy their other abilities as well as invoking the idea that this disease cannot destroy their family life and vitality.
Methods: This quasi-experimental type research had a pretest-posttest design with a control group. In this regard, 40 female patients from members of MS society of Kerman were selected as sample by targeted sampling and then they were placed in two groups of 20 people (experiment and control) through random assignment. Positive psychology with Islamic approach was taught only in experiment group during 7 sessions in 120 minutes. Schneider hope questionnaire was used for data collection. SPSS v. 18 was used for data analysis.
Results: Results showed a significant difference between experiment group in comparison to control group in terms of hope variable (P < 0.001).
Conclusion: Based on the findings, positive psychology interventions with Islamic approach increase hope in females with MS.

Keywords

• Positive Psychology
• Islamic approach
• Hope
• Multiple Sclerosis

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