[ effectiveness of a short cognitive behavioral group intervention on depression, anxiety and stress in patients with chronic coronary heart disease: a randomized controlled trail]

ABSTRACT

This study was planned to investigate the effectiveness of a short cognitive behavioral group intervention for coronary heart disease [CBGI-CHD] on stress and depression in patients with chronic coronary heart disease in a randomized controlled trail. Chronic coronary heart patients were randomly assigned to a 12-week [2.5 hours sessions] cognitive behavioral group intervention for coronary heart disease [n=24] or to a control group [n=22] that received usual care by using pre test-post test control group design. The Intervention group patient were under CBGI-CHD program for 3 months [from June up to end of August, 2010] on Mashhad Imam Reza Hospital Heart Division. Depression symptoms were measured using a Persian version of the Beck depression inventory II [BDI-II], Anxiety symptoms were measured using a Persian version of the Zung self-rating anxiety scale [SAS] and stress symptoms were measured using a Persian version of stress subscale from depression, anxiety and stress scales [DASS-42], before and directly after intervention. Analysis of Covariance showed that the intervention group patients had significant decreases in stress at post test, compared with control group [P<0.05]. Although, the intervention was effective in reducing depression and anxiety but it was not significant [P<0.05]. The results indicate that CBGI-CHD can result reductions in stress, depression and anxiety. Moreover, the results are considered a reliable first step in the process of validating CBGI-CHD program designed to reduction coronary heart disease patients' stress, depression, anxiety and type a behavior pattern. CBGI- CHD can be applied for reducing stress, and anxiety and depression in heart coronary patient's but in the case of depression and anxiety it needs revision in content of intervention and increasing depression and anxiety treatment sessions program. The future researches with longer pursuing periods for reviewing efficacy continuation is suggested