Investigating the effect of schema therapy on the improvement of neurological indicators of people with multiple sclerosis (MS)

Abstract

Background and Aim: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is the most common autoimmune disease associated with inflammation of the human central nervous system, which has many negative effects on neurological indicators and executive functions of the brain. One of the therapeutic approaches designed to solve chronic and difficult problems such as MS is schema therapy, and the purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of schema therapy on neurological indicators of MS patients. Method: This research was a quasi-experimental type and was conducted in the form of a pre-test-post-test-follow-up design with a control group. The statistical population of this research consisted of all people with MS in Tehran who visited one of the medical centers in Tehran in the fall of 1400 AD. Among this population, 30 people were selected as available and randomly placed in two experimental and control groups. The experimental group underwent schema therapy for 8 sessions, and before and after the intervention, both groups were measured by electroencephalography device. Results: The results of mixed variance analysis showed that schema therapy significantly improved F3 index (F=5.88, P<0.05), F4 index (F=6.44, P<0.05) and CZ index (F=13.04, P<0.001). Conclusion: These results indicate that the modification of incompatible schemas significantly improves the neurological indicators of MS patients.