Improving Illness Acceptance and Reducing Stress in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease Receiving Hemodialysis

Adapting to the routine of hemodialysis following kidney failure is often accompanied by stress, which can worsen both the physical condition and mental health of patients. The Gestalt method facilitates self-recognition and self-acceptance, prompting healthier emotional adjustment. Illness acceptance, as a component of self-acceptance, contributes to stress reduction. Furthermore, group therapy provides patients with social support, which can enhance the process of illness acceptance. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effectiveness of Gestalt group therapy in improving illness acceptance and reducing stress among patients with chronic kidney disease receiving hemodialysis. The method adopted was a pre-test post-test control group design. A total of 15 patients were screened voluntarily and completed the Chronic Illness Acceptance Questionnaire (CIAQ; Cronbach alpha = 0.861) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10; Cronbach alpha = 0.814). Only eight reported low illness acceptance and high stress levels. These patients were recruited and randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The experimental groups received treatment during and after the experiment, respectively. The results of the Wilcoxon test showed that Gestalt group therapy significantly improved illness acceptance (p = 0.046) and reduced stress levels (p = 0.046). Through this process, patients became more aware of their condition, leading to greater engagement in daily activities and reduced perceived stress.