A comparative study of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and emotion-focused therapy in reducing experiential avoidance in patients with peptic ulcer disease

Background and Aim: Peptic ulcer disease, as a psychosomatic disorder, is closely related to avoidance mechanisms and stress. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of group-based mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) and emotion-focused therapy (EMT) in reducing experiential avoidance in patients with peptic ulcer disease. Methods: This semi-experimental study used a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design with a control group. Forty-five patients referred to specialized clinics in Mashhad in 2022 participated in the study. Patients were randomly assigned to three groups of 15: control, MBCT, and EMT. Both intervention groups received 8 sessions of 90-minute group therapy, while the control group received no intervention during the study period. The primary data collection tool was the Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire, which was completed by patients at three time points (pre-test, post-test, and follow-up). Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA. Results: Both group-based MBCT and EMT were effective in reducing experiential avoidance in patients with peptic ulcer disease (P<0.001). However, no significant difference was found between the effectiveness of the two treatment methods (P=1.0). Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that both MBCT and EMT can effectively reduce experiential avoidance and improve the condition of patients with peptic ulcer disease.