عبدالصمد نیکان

Objective: Patients with Ménière's often experience multiple psychological problems and are not satisfied with the results of medication therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) on anxiety, lifestyle, and experiential avoidance in patients with Ménière's disease.  Method: The study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test, post-test, and one-month follow-up approach. The statistical population comprised all patients diagnosed with Ménière's disease who sought treatment at the specialized ear clinic affiliated with Mashhad Medical Sciences Hospital between January and March 2023. From this population, 30 patients meeting the inclusion criteria were selected using an oriented sampling method. Participants were randomly assigned to a CBT intervention group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). Data collected at three time points—pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 30 days after the intervention—using the Smith Lifestyle Questionnaire, Bond Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire, and the Anxiety subscale of the DASS-21. The data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance. Results: The results indicated a significant reduction in anxiety levels in the CBT group compared to the control group in both the post-test and follow-up assessments (P < 0.05). Additionally, a significant improvement was observed in lifestyle scores in the CBT group relative to the control group (P < 0.05). The difference in experiential avoidance between the two groups was also statistically significant (P < 0.05).  Conclusion: The findings suggest that cognitive-behavioral therapy is effective in reducing anxiety and experiential avoidance while improving lifestyle in patients with Ménière's disease. These results underscore the potential of CBT as an adjunctive treatment in managing the psychological and lifestyle-related challenges associated with Ménière's disease.