Noushin Fatollahzadeh - Department of Psychology, Islamic Azad University of Roudehen Branch, Roudehen, Iran
Mina Mojtabaie - Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Islamic Azad University of Roudehen Branch, Roudehen, Iran

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common chronic diseases of the central nervoussystem which affects mostly young, intelligent and active members of the society, and no curehas been found for it yet. This study was aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of behavioralactivation treatment (BAT) in reducing depression in females with MS referring to the TehranAssociation for MS in 2014. The statistical population was all females referring to the TehranAssociation for MS and the sample was 30 females (15 in experimental group and 15 incontrol group) selected by purposeful sampling method then random assignment. This studywas a quasi-experimental research (pre- and post-test and follow-up with the control group).The experimental group received 10 group sessions of BAT. Data collection tool was BeckDepression Inventory-Edition II (BDI-II). The inventory validity and reliability was approvedby Dadsetan and Mansur (1990). Rajabi (2001) reported the Cronbach's alpha coefficient forthe whole questionnaire as equal to 0.87, split-half coefficient as equal to 0.83 and test-retestcoefficient after 3 weeks as equal to 0.49. Data was analyzed using mixed analysis of variance(Mixed ANOVA). The results showed that BAT could reduce depression in females with MS,belonging to the experimental group (F1, 28=25,391: P=0.000) in the post-test and follow-up(F1, 28=52,330: P=0.000). BAT improved their motivation and solidarity, and ultimatelyreduced their level of depression through enhancing self-management skills in patients withMS.

Depression, Behavioral Activation Treatment, Multiple Sclerosis