Effectiveness of Desensitizing Treatment with Eye Movements and Reprocessing and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Emotional Expression and Somatic Symptoms

The phenomenon of female-headed households is a social reality that has different reasons and is found in all societies. Objectives: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on emotional expression and somatic symptoms among female-headed households. Materials and Methods: This semi-experimental study was conducted based on a pretest-post-test control group design and follow-up. The statistical population of this study consisted of all female-headed households in Tehran, Iran, in 2019, among whom 36 cases were selected using the convenience sampling method. The samples were divided into 3 groups (n=12 each), including the group treated with EMDR, the group treated with ACT, and the control group (awaiting treatment). The required data were obtained using the Emotional Expression Questionnaire and Patient Health Questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 22) using repeated variance analysis and Bonferroni post hoc test. Results: The results showed that EMDR and ACT were effective in emotional expression (P<0.01) and physical symptoms (P<0.01) among female-headed households. Conclusion: It can be concluded that EMDR and ACT were effective on emotional expression and physical symptoms in female-headed households and these two treatments can be used to improve the problems of female-headed households.