The Comparison of ACT and CBT on Health Anxiety and Emotional Self-Awareness of Adult Women with Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to compare the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) on reducing health anxiety and enhancing emotional self-awareness among adult women with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).

Methods and Materials: In this randomized controlled trial, 45 adult women diagnosed with GAD in Tehran were assigned to one of three groups: ACT (n = 15), CBT (n = 15), or a control group (n = 15). The ACT group participated in eight 90-minute sessions, while the CBT group underwent twelve 60-minute sessions. Both interventions spanned a 12-week period. Health anxiety was measured using the Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI), and emotional self-awareness was assessed with the Emotional Self-Awareness Scale (ESAS). Assessments were conducted at baseline, post-intervention, and at a four-month follow-up. Data analysis involved repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests using SPSS-27 software.

Findings: Both ACT and CBT groups showed significant reductions in health anxiety and significant increases in emotional self-awareness from baseline to post-test, which were maintained at the four-month follow-up (p < .001). No significant differences were found between the ACT and CBT groups regarding the effectiveness of the interventions (p > .05). The control group did not exhibit significant changes over time (p > .05). The Time × Group interaction was not statistically significant, indicating similar patterns of improvement in both intervention groups.

Conclusion: ACT and CBT are equally effective in reducing health anxiety and enhancing emotional self-awareness among adult women with GAD. The findings suggest that both therapies can be viable options for treating health anxiety and improving emotional self-awareness.