The Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy on Depression and Self-Efficacy of Patients with Hypertension

Introduction: Hypertension is one of the most common chronic diseases, which if not properly managed, can lead to not only physical health issues but also reduced psychological well-being and efficiency. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral group therapy on depression and self-efficacy in patients with hypertension. Methods: The present study was a quasi-experimental intervention, conducted as a pre-test, post-test design with experimental and control groups, and with a 90-day follow-up. The study population consisted of all hypertension patients who referred to healthcare centers in Tehran in 2023, from which 38 subjects were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The data collection tools included a demographic form, the Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI-II), and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE-17). Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA with a significance level of 0.05, using SPSS-21 software. Results: Cognitive-behavioral group therapy was effective in reducing depression (F=78/6, P<0/001) and increasing self-efficacy (F=12/7, P< 0/001) among patients with hypertension. Additionally, the effect size of cognitive-behavioral therapy was 70% for depression and 27% for self-efficacy, with the effects persisting up to three months post-treatment. Conclusion: The finding indicated that cognitive-behavioral therapy can lead to improvements in depression and an increase in psychological self-efficacy in patients with hypertension. Therefore, this cost-effective and affordable treatment method can be utilized alongside routine treatment (medication) to enhance the psychological well-being of these patients.