Comparing the Effectiveness of Mental Imagery and Narrative Exposure Therapy on Existential Anxiety and Irrational Beliefs of MS Patients in Shiraz city

Reducing anxiety and improving illogical beliefs of MS patients due to the type of disease and its unpredictability has a significant impact on the mental health of these patients and as a result the treatment is more effective. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of mental imagery and narrative exposure therapy on anxiety and irrational beliefs of MS patients. This research was of a semi-experimental type with a pre-test, post-test, control group and follow-up design. MS patients were members. The MS Association of Shiraz city in ۱۴۰۲ included the statistical population of the research, ۴۵ people were selected by the available sampling method and based on the study entry criteria and were randomly placed in two experimental groups and a control group of ۱۵ people. Mental imagery and narrative exposure therapy were performed twice a week for ten sessions each. A follow-up test was conducted one and a half months after the post-test. In order to collect data from Spielberger's State and Trait Anxiety Questionnaire and Balor's Irrational Anxiety Questionnaire. Jones was used. The analysis of univariate covariance results showed that both methods were significantly effective in reducing anxiety and irrational beliefs (p<۰.۰۱). While both treatment methods have the same effect on anxiety (p<۰.۰۵). However, narrative exposure therapy was more effective in reducing irrational beliefs (p<۰.۰۵). It seems that narrative-oriented and mental imagery-based group therapies have the same effect on anxiety due to the similarity in the nature and method of implementation and suitability to the conditions of the MS patients under study. It seems that the reason for the greater suitability of narrative exposure therapy in reducing illogical beliefs is related to the creation of psychological flexibility in MS patients.

Keywords:

Mental Imagery , Narrative Exposure Therapy , Existential Anxiety , Irrational Beliefs of MS Patients