Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Integrated Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy in Motivational Structure of Hepatitis B Patients

Background: It is essential to understand and support hepatitis B patients to minimize their challenges and limitations and provide them with appropriate treatment. Therefore, it is essential to incorporate training and consulting programs to prepare for and identify various aspects of the disease. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of mindfulness-integrated cognitive-behavioral group therapy (MiCBT) in the motivational structure of hepatitis B patients in Tehran, Iran. Methods: This quasi-experimental study utilized a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The study sample consisted of 28 hepatitis B patients selected from all patients visiting specialist clinics in Tehran in 2020. Following the interviews and completion of the Personal Concerns Inventory, 14 patients were selected per group using simple random sampling and were randomly divided into intervention and control groups. A posttest was conducted after 12 sessions of MiCBT (one 90-min group session weekly for three months). Data were analyzed using the multivariate analysis of covariance in SPSS software. Results: The results revealed a significant increase in adaptive motivational structure (P < 0.001) and a significant decrease in maladaptive motivational structure (P = 0.012) in hepatitis B patients following the therapeutic intervention. Conclusions: The study indicated the MiCBT effectiveness in increasing adaptive motivational structure and decreasing maladaptive motivational structure in hepatitis B patients. As a therapeutic approach, MiCBT can make the motivational structure of hepatitis B patients more adaptive.

Effectiveness of Individual Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Predictors of Outcome in Adult Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has proven its efficacy in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). <b><i>Objective:</i></b> To test generalizability to routine care settings, we conducted an effectiveness study to provide naturalistic outcome data and their predictors. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Pre-post changes in symptoms and impairment as well as response rates were determined in a naturalistic OCD sample (intention-to-treat, ITT, <i>n</i> = 393). Patients received individual CBT for OCD adopting an exposure-based, non-manualized treatment format. Linear and logistic regression analyses were applied to identify associations of sociodemographic and clinical variables with symptom change. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Effect size in ITT patients amounted to <i>d</i> = 1.47 in primary outcome (Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, Y-BOCS). Remission rates were 46.3% (ITT), 52.0% (completers), and 18.2% (non-completers). The rates of treatment response without remission, no change, and deterioration in the ITT sample were 13.2, 38, and 3%, respectively. Initial symptom severity, comorbid personality disorder, and unemployment were associated with a poorer outcome, and previous medication with a better outcome. Comorbid depressive and anxiety disorders as well as other clinical or sociodemographic variables showed no effects on symptom change. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Outcomes in this large observational trial in a naturalistic setting correspond to available RCT findings suggesting that CBT for OCD should be strongly recommended for dissemination in routine care. Targets for further research include early prediction of non-response and development of alternative treatment strategies for patients who respond insufficiently.

An Evaluation of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Substance Use: An Application of Tolin’s Criteria for Empirically Supported Treatments

This document includes a formal evaluation of cognitive behavioral therapy for substance use disorder per the Tolin et al., (2015) criteria.