Effectiveness of psychotherapy groups on emotional health and visual-related quality of life in patients with inherited retinal dystrophies

Purpose People with inherited retinal dystrophies (IRD) often experience psychological distress and report high rates of anxiety and depression. This study evaluated the effectiveness of two psychotherapy groups based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on emotional health, psychological acceptance, mindfulness, and visual-related quality of life (VRQoL) in adults with IRD. Method This retrospective study used data from two psychotherapy groups of 12 sessions held simultaneously. Questionnaires were administered at three time points: pre-intervention, post-intervention, and three months after the sessions ended. Statistical analyses evaluated these constructs across time points and compared both groups. Results The study included two groups of patients with IRD: one with 7 patients with Stargardt disease and another with 7 with retinitis pigmentosa. The mean age was 45.2 years (SD = 12). Significant improvements were observed in all constructs after the intervention and/or three months later. No statistically significant differences were found between the groups ( p = 1), indicating similar outcomes. Additionally, participants who underwent individual psychotherapy ( p = 0.005) and used psychiatric medication ( p = 0.002) showed significantly greater improvements in psychological acceptance and emotional health compared to those who did not. Conclusion ACT showed preliminary efficacy in individuals with IRD. Both groups demonstrated improvements in all measured constructs. This model may be extended to other participants to confirm its effectiveness. Although group psychotherapy using other approaches exists in clinical and rehabilitation contexts, ACT-based interventions had not been robustly evaluated in this population until now. Layman abstract The study evaluated constructs related to emotional health in patients with visual impairment, checking if a psychotherapy group would improve these indices. For this, two psychotherapy groups were conducted with 12 virtual sessions. Patients were assessed before the intervention, after the intervention, and three months later. The 14 patients who participated showed improvement in all constructs of emotional health. It was also discovered that, in certain cases, psychiatric medication and/or individual psychotherapy could further improve emotional health.