Effects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-Based Intervention on Biological, Psychological, and Social Indicators of Women Aged 35-65 Years with Human Papillomavirus Infection

Background and Objective: In recent years, the incidence of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection has increased, and besides the physical complications, the virus results in psychological problems in the affected group. Therefore, it is required to implement targeted health interventions for the individuals affected by this virus. In this regard, the present research aimed to compare the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based interventions on biological, psychological, and social indicators of women aged 35-65 years who suffer from HPV. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study with pre-and post-test design and a two-month follow-up was conducted on 30 HPV-infected women living in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Through purposive sampling, 30 subjects were selected and randomly allocated to either the ACT or the control group (n = 15 per group). The training intervention consisted of eight 90-minute sessions according to the ACT-based program. The data were collected by standard Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 items (α = 0.82) and Marlowe–Crowne Social Desirability Scale (α = 0.70), which were completed by both groups before, immediately after the intervention, and two months later. Results: The results revealed no critical difference between the groups at the pre-test and post-test stages in terms of reducing the mean value of the virus, lowering stress, anxiety, and depression, and increasing social desirability (p < 0.001). Conclusion: According to the results, the ACT-based training intervention was effective in reducing the mean value of the virus, lowering stress, anxiety, and depression, and raising the social desirability of women with HPV. Therefore, the achieved findings could be beneficial not only for the infected women with HPV and their families but also for comprehensive health centers and counseling clinics.