The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Therapy on Nonjudgmental Acceptance, Sociability, and Personal Sense of Security in Individuals with Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy on nonjudgmental acceptance, sociability, and personal sense of security in individuals with generalized anxiety disorder. This study was conducted using a quasi-experimental method with a pretest–posttest design and a control group. From among individuals with generalized anxiety disorder who referred to a psychological and counseling services center in Tehran, 30 participants were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups, with 15 participants in each group. After sample attrition, data from 24 participants, 12 in each group, were analyzed. The experimental group received mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy in eight 90-minute sessions, accompanied by daily home practice, whereas the control group received no active intervention. The data were analyzed using multivariate and univariate analysis of covariance. The results of multivariate analysis of covariance showed a significant difference between the two groups in the combined dependent variables (F(3,17)=15.232, P=0.001, partial η²=0.877). In addition, the univariate analyses showed that mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy led to significant improvements in nonjudgmental acceptance (F=15.982, P=0.001, partial η²=0.776), sociability (F=10.414, P=0.002, partial η²=0.395), and personal sense of security (F=13.795, P=0.001, partial η²=0.633) compared with the control group. The findings indicate that mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy may be associated with increased nonjudgmental acceptance, improved sociability in the sense of a tendency toward social interactions, and enhanced personal sense of security in individuals with generalized anxiety disorder. However, given the limited sample size, the absence of an active control group, the lack of a follow-up period, and certain methodological limitations, the results should be interpreted with caution. Randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are needed to confirm these findings.