Improving Treatment Adherence and Psychological Well-Being in Patients with Diabetes: The Role of Emotion-Focused Therapy

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease characterized by impaired blood sugar regulation due to issues with insulin production or action. This condition has adverse physical and mental health consequences, impacting overall quality of life. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of emotion-focused therapy (EFT) in improving treatment adherence and psychological well-being among individuals with diabetes, with emotion regulation as a mediating factor. Methods: A quasi-experimental, pre-test-post-test design with a control group and a two-month follow-up period was employed. The study population consisted of individuals with diabetes referred to the diabetes center in Ahvaz. A convenience sample of 30 participants was selected and randomly assigned to two groups of 15: An experimental group and a control group. The experimental group received eight weekly 90-minute sessions of EFT. Data were collected using the Treatment Adherence Questionnaire, Ryff's Scale of Psychological Well-being, and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) to assess treatment adherence, psychological well-being, and emotion regulation, respectively. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to analyze the data, and mediation analysis was conducted using the bootstrapping method. Results: The results indicated that EFT had a significant effect on treatment adherence and psychological well-being among patients with diabetes (P < 0.001). These effects were both direct and indirect, with emotion regulation serving as a significant mediator. Additionally, the effects were sustained over time. Conclusions: This study found that EFT is effective in improving treatment adherence and psychological well-being in individuals with diabetes. The sustained benefits over time suggest that EFT could be a valuable complement to standard diabetes care.