The Effect of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms, Somatization, and Chronic Fatigue in Patients with Depression: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Master of Clinical Psychology, Najaf Abad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najaf Abad, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Najaf Abad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najaf Abad, Iran.

10.22098/jpc.2026.17226.1314

Abstract

Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on obsessive-compulsive symptoms, somatization, and chronic fatigue in patients with major depressive disorder. Methods: This quasi-experimental study utilized a pretest-posttest design with a control group. Thirty participants with major depressive disorder were selected through purposive sampling from Imam Reza Clinic in Shahrekord (2021) and randomly assigned to experimental (n=15) and control (n=15) groups. The experimental group received eight 90-minute weekly group sessions of ACT, while the control group received routine clinic visits only. Data were collected using the Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Questionnaire (MOCQ), Chalder Fatigue Scale (CFS), and Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15). Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used for data analysis in SPSS-24. Results: MANCOVA results revealed a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups in post-test scores (P=0.01), while controlling for pretest scores. Significant reductions were observed specifically in the experimental group across all three outcome measures: obsessive-compulsive symptoms (F=473.08, p<0.001, η²=0.67), chronic fatigue (F=402.97, p<0.001, η²=0.59), and somatization (F=458.09, p<0.001, η²=0.31). The large effect sizes indicate both statistical significance and clinical meaningfulness of the findings. Conclusion: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy appears to be an effective intervention for reducing comorbid obsessive-compulsive symptoms, somatization, and chronic fatigue in patients with depression. These findings support the integration of ACT as a complementary treatment in clinical settings, particularly for patients with complex symptomatology. Future studies with larger samples and longer follow-up periods are recommended to confirm these findings and examine long-term outcomes.

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