A Comparative Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Group Cognitive Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder

Background: Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a new method of psychotherapy for major depressive disorder (MDD). The aim of this experimental study is evaluating the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy and cognitive therapy. Materials and Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 19 depressive out-patients were randomly divided into 2 groups (acceptance and commitment therapy and cognitive therapy). Twelve therapeutic sessions administered in consulting center of Tehran University twice a week. All the subjects were tested by Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II)) and the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS) before and after the treatments. Data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). Results: The results show no significant differences between the two groups in terms of the variables of depression and rumination. Conclusion: Overall, the results suggest that ACT is an effective treatment, the effectiveness of which appears equivalent to that of CT.