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The Efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy on chronic fatigue syndrome, parental stress, and social stigma of mothers with children with cerebral palsy
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Farzin Bagheri Sheykhangafshe *1    , Nazanin Haghighat Bayan2 , Golnar Hosseinzadeh3 , Esmat Shajari2 , Vahid Savabi Niri4 |
1- Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
2- Roudehen Branch, Islamic Azad University, Roudehen, Iran
3- Behshahr Branch, Payame Noor University, Behshahr, Iran
4- Ardabil Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran |
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Abstract: (209 Views) |
Background and Purpose: Caregivers of children with cerebral palsy (CP) often experience significant psychological strain due to healthcare limitations, lifestyle disruptions, financial pressures, and diminished quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on symptoms of chronic fatigue, parenting stress, and social stigma among mothers of children with CP.
Method: A quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group was employed. The study population consisted of mothers of children with CP in Rasht, Iran, in 2024. A total of 34 mothers were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. Data collection instruments included the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Scale (CFSS; Chalder et al. 1993), the Parenting Stress Index (PSI; Abidin, 2012), and the Social Stigma Questionnaire (SSQ; Mak & Kwok, 2010). The experimental group underwent eight 90-minute sessions of ACT based on the Hayes et al. (2011) protocol. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance in SPSS-24.
Results: The results demonstrated that ACT significantly reduced physical fatigue (F = 31.85), mental fatigue (F = 46.43), parental distress (F = 30.71), dysfunctional parent–child interaction (F = 37.09), difficult child characteristics (F = 45.47), and perceived social stigma (F = 32.87) among mothers (p< 0.01).
Conclusion: ACT was effective in reducing physical and mental fatigue, parenting stress, and social stigma in mothers of children with cerebral palsy. These findings highlighted as a valuable therapeutic approach for improving maternal mental health and enhancing caregiving quality. |
Article number: 6 |
| Keywords: Cerebral palsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, parental stress, social stigma, acceptance and commitment therapy |
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Full-Text [PDF 1215 kb]
(111 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2024/05/17 | Accepted: 2025/07/25 | Published: 2025/08/16
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