The effectiveness of commitment and acceptance-based therapy on improving pain intensity, pain-related quality of life, and intolerance of ambiguity in chronic pain sufferers.

Abstract

Background and Objective: Chronic pain is usually defined as pain that persists for at least six months and confronts the sufferer not only with the continuous experience of physical discomfort, but also with a set of psychological and social stressors that affect different areas of daily life. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of commitment and acceptance-based therapy on improving pain intensity, pain-related quality of life, and intolerance of ambiguity in patients with chronic pain.
Method: The present study was an experimental study with a pre-test, post-test, and three-month follow-up design with a control group. The statistical population included 30 patients who visited pain clinics and pain specialists in different areas of Tehran in 1404, who were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups. The research instruments included the McGill Pain Severity Questionnaire (MPQ), the Intolerance of Ambiguity Questionnaire, and the Quality of Life Questionnaire (SF-s6). The data were analyzed using analysis of variance.
Findings: The results showed that commitment and acceptance-based therapy significantly reduced pain intensity and intolerance of ambiguity scores and increased the quality of life component at the post-test and follow-up stages, while no significant change was observed in the control group. Conclusion: The findings emphasize the importance of non-pharmacological interventions based on mindfulness and acceptance in the management of chronic pain and indicate that changing psychological processes leads to improved adaptation, reduced disability, and improved quality of life in patients.