Evaluating the Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Alexithymia and White Blood Cell Counts in Women with Breast Cancer
| Author | Maryam Mardani | en |
| Author | Tina Vosoughi | en |
| Author | Manijeh Firoozi | en |
| Author | Afshin Talebi | en |
| Orcid | Maryam Mardani [0000-0002-9890-4539] | en |
| Orcid | Tina Vosoughi [0000-0001-7185-6373] | en |
| Orcid | Manijeh Firoozi [0000-0003-1368-7545] | en |
| Issued Date | 2026-06-30 | en |
| Abstract | Background: Alexithymia, defined as difficulty in identifying and expressing feelings, is a common psychological problem among patients undergoing cancer treatment. White blood cell (WBC) counts may also decrease during treatment, creating additional clinical challenges. Objectives: This study evaluated whether Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) could reduce alexithymic symptoms and modify WBC counts in women with a confirmed diagnosis of breast cancer. Methods: This randomized controlled trial included pretest, posttest, and 1-month follow-up assessments, as well as a control group. Participants were randomly assigned to either an ACT group or a control group that continued standard medical care without additional psychological support. The study population comprised women with breast cancer who were referred to Baqaei Super-Specialty Hospital and a specialized cancer treatment center in Ahvaz during the 2025 - 2026 calendar year. The sample size was determined to be 42 participants using G*Power software. Study instruments included an alexithymia questionnaire and a complete blood count test. The psychotherapeutic intervention was ACT. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential methods, particularly mixed analysis of variance, in SPSS version 25. Before conducting repeated-measures analysis of variance, key statistical assumptions were evaluated. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to assess normality, and Mauchly's test was used to evaluate the sphericity assumption. Results: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy effectively reduced alexithymia levels, and this reduction was maintained over time. However, the observed changes in WBC counts did not achieve statistical significance. Conclusions: These findings suggest that ACT may reduce alexithymia in female patients with cancer by addressing disease-related emotional difficulties. Understanding this effect may help improve care and support programs for individuals undergoing cancer treatment. | en |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.5812/ijpbs-171702 | en |
| URI | https://brieflands.com/journals/ijpbs/articles/171702 | en |
| Keyword | Cancer | en |
| Keyword | Alexithymia | en |
| Keyword | White Blood Cells | en |
| Keyword | Acceptance And Commitment Therapy | en |
| Publisher | Brieflands | en |
| Title | Evaluating the Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Alexithymia and White Blood Cell Counts in Women with Breast Cancer | en |
| Type | Research Article | en |
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