Clinical Psychology and Personality

Clinical Psychology and Personality

Effectiveness of Integrative Body-Mind-Spirituality (IBMS) Intervention on Quality of Life, Psychological Distress, and Intolerance of Uncertainty in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 PhD Student, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
2 Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
3 , Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Urmia, Urmia, Iran
Abstract
Introduction: There is a bidirectional relationship between polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and psychological factors, which exacerbates psychological, physical, and spiritual symptoms. Given that PCOS manifests with physical, psychological, and spiritual symptoms, integrated treatment approaches are essential. This study examines the effectiveness of an integrated body-rational-meaning intervention on quality of life, psychological distress, and intolerance of uncertainty in women with PCOS.
Method: The present study employed a semi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test assessments. The target population consisted of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome, from which 40 individuals were selected and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. After completing the pre-test, the intervention group participated in eight individual sessions of body-integrity therapy, each lasting 45 minutes. Follow-up assessments were conducted immediately after the intervention and again one month later. Data were collected using the Quality of Life Questionnaire, Psychological System Questionnaire, and the Intolerance of Uncertainty Questionnaire. The data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) in SPSS version 22.
Results: The between-group analysis of variance revealed significant improvements in the experimental group compared to the control group. Quality of life showed a significant effect (p < 0.001; F₁, ₃₈ = 317.75) with an eta coefficient of 92 percent. Intolerance of uncertainty also improved significantly (p < 0.001; F₁, ₃₈ = 45.77) with an eta coefficient of 77 percent. Anxiety decreased significantly (p < 0.001; F₁, ₃₈ = 34.73) with an eta coefficient of 55 percent. Depression showed significant improvement (p < 0.001; F₁, ₃₈ = 62.11) with an eta coefficient of 68 percent, and stress was significantly reduced (p < 0.001; F₁, ₃₈ = 63.24) with an eta coefficient of 69 percent. These results indicate the effectiveness of the integrative treatment.
Discussion and conclusion: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a multifaceted disorder. The present study demonstrated that psychological symptoms associated with PCOS can be significantly alleviated through psychotherapy. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating such interventions into standard PCOS treatment protocols as a complement to conventional medical therapies.
Keywords

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