Effect of cognitive-behavioral training on psychosocial adjustment to illness in depressed patients with heart failure

Background Psychosocial adjustment to illness in the treatment process of chronic diseases is an important factor in attracting patient participation in treatment and helping in the decision-making process of their treatment-care. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cognitive-behavioral training (CBT) compared to conventional training on the level of psychosocial adjustment to illness in depressed heart failure patients in Zahedan (Iran). Method This study was a quasi-experimental study that was conducted on 80 patients with heart failure hospitalized in 2025. One group received cognitive-behavioral training and the other group received conventional training. Data were collected using the Beck Depression Inventory and the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale at baseline and eight weeks after the educational interventions. The data were analyzed with SPSS 20 software. Results The results showed that the average adjustment score in depressed heart failure patients in the cognitive-behavioral training group was 81.65 ± 17.04 before the intervention and decreased to 59.30 ± 11.46 after the intervention, indicating an increase in adjustment. In addition, in the conventional training group, the average adjustment score before the intervention was 85.40 ± 20.50 and increased to 89.45 ± 20.75 after the intervention. The mean baseline BDI score was 39.02 ± 8.08 and decreased to 16.95 ± 5.53 after the intervention in the cognitive-behavioral-training group. Conclusion According to the results of this study, cognitive-behavioral training seems to be a more effective approach to adjustment to a chronic disease compared to conventional training.