Effectiveness of Behavioral Activation Therapy on Self-Care Behaviors and Physical Therapy Engagement: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 40 participants from Tehran, divided equally into intervention and control groups. The intervention group received eight 90-minute sessions of BAT over four months. Self-care behaviors and physical therapy engagement were assessed at baseline and post-intervention using validated measures. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests with SPSS-27. Significant improvements were observed in the intervention group compared to the control group. For self-care behaviors, the intervention group showed a mean increase from 32.45 (SD=4.56) to 48.65 (SD=5.23), while the control group showed a non-significant change from 33.12 (SD=4.49) to 34.78 (SD=4.67). For physical therapy engagement, the intervention group improved from 30.78 (SD=5.01) to 46.89 (SD=5.34), whereas the control group had minimal change from 31.23 (SD=4.88) to 32.45 (SD=5.12). ANOVA results indicated significant effects of the intervention (p<.001). Behavioral Activation Therapy significantly enhances self-care behaviors and physical therapy engagement. This intervention can be effectively integrated into treatment programs to improve patient outcomes.