The Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment-Based Treatment to Hypertension and Emotion Cognitive Regulation in People with Hypertension in Ahvaz

Background: Hypertension is a health problem in all communities. Studies show an increasing number of people with this disorder and therefore, the number of people with this disease has been naturally increased. By confirming all problems and weaknesses of available therapies, there are raised psychological approaches of the third wave, including acceptance and commitment-based treatment that increases psychological flexibility and health-based behaviors of people through accepting and using awareness-based strategies along with commitment and behavioral change strategies. Objectives: The present research aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) on hypertension and cognitive emotion regulation in hypertensive patients in Ahvaz. Methods: The present research project was a semi-experimental design with a pre-test and post-test design with control group. There were 30 individuals that were selected with the entry criteria; then, they were randomly divided into experiment and control groups using sampling method (every group included 15 people). The sampling was taken during six months. After taking the informed consent, the intervention group was treated in 12, 90 minute sessions using acceptance and commitment therapy. cognitive emotional regulation questionnaire (CERQ) and Alpine K2 standard mercury esfigmomanometro were used to measure blood pressure and regulate cognitive emotion. Data were analyzed using multivariate covariance (MANCOVA) method. Results: The results indicate that there is a significant difference in hypertension and cognitive emotion regulation between the experimental and control groups in the post-test phase (P < 0.05). Conclusions: As a relatively short-term, cost-effective, safe, and empirical approach, acceptance and commitment therapy can be helpful in improving hypertension and regulating cognitive emotion. In this treatment method, it helps the patient examine and weaken his previous ineffective methods in relation to his or her illness. Therefore, it is recommended to apply this therapeutic approach to treat hypertension and increase cognitive emotion regulation. Furthermore, it is proposed that health authorities of the country pay more attention to the disease in order to minimize its complications in society.