"The Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Resilience, Distress Tolerance, and Quality of Life in Women with Multiple Sclerosis During the Acute Phase: A Clinical Trial Study."

Introduction:Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating neurological disorder that affects patients not only physically but also cognitively. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) on resilience, distress tolerance, and quality of life in women with MS during the acute phase Methods:This study was a semi-experimental intervention design with a pre-test and post-test, including a control group. Thirty women with acute MS attending the specialized clinic of Bou Ali Sina Hospital in Sari from 2023 to 2024 were selected through convenience sampling based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. They were randomly assigned (using a lottery method) into two groups of 15: an intervention group and a control group. Both groups completed the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, the Simmons and Gaher Distress Tolerance Scale, and the quality of life questionnaire for MS patients by Hobart et al. before the intervention and after its completion. The therapeutic intervention was conducted over eight sessions according to the Himbergh and Becker protocol. Pre-test and post-test data were analyzed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) with SPSS software version 26. Findings: Cognitive-behavioral therapy had a significant impact on resilience (p < 0.001, B = 9.51), distress tolerance (p < 0.001, B = 0.245), and quality of life (p < 0.001, B = -15.31) in women with MS during the acute phase Conclusion: It is recommended that psychological interventions, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, be implemented for patients in the acute phase of the disease.