The Effectiveness of Positive Psychology Training on Distress Tolerance and Optimism in Patients with Leukemia

Abstract

Background: Cancers are one of the most important diseases of the century among the cause of death after cardiovascular disease. Detection of cancer, followed by prolonged treatments, is usually a stressful experience. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of positive psychology training on distress tolerance and optimism in patients with leukemia. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted with a pretest-posttest design, follow-up, and a control group. The statistical population of the study included all patients with leukemia who had referred to Valiasr Hospital in Khorramshahr, Iran, in 2020; 30 of them were selected using a purposive sampling method, and randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group (15 individuals in each group). To collect data, the Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS) (Simmons & Gaher, 2005) and Life Orientation Test (LOT) (Scheier & Carver, 1993) were used. The experimental group underwent positive psychology training (14 weekly 90-minute sessions) based on Rashid's treatment protocol (2008), but the control group received no treatments. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS software. Results: The results showed that positive psychology training was effective in increasing distress tolerance (F = 34.30; P < 0.001) and optimism (F = 10.10; P < 0.001) in patients with leukemia. Conclusion: According to the results, positive psychology can be used to increase distress tolerance and optimism in patients with leukemia. © 2023, Vesnu Publications. All rights reserved.