Comparing the Effectiveness of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Intensive Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) on Reducing Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms and Improving Treatment Adherence in Patients with Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Authors
Mohammad Mehdi Zeidabadinejad
ahmad torabi
fatemeh mohammadifar
zahra nori
roya tovakoli
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of Mindfulness‑Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Intensive Short‑Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) on reducing obsessive‑compulsive symptoms and improving treatment adherence in patients with non‑alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study employed a quasi‑experimental design with a pretest‑posttest and one‑month follow‑up, including two experimental groups and one control group. The statistical population comprised all patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) who attended treatment centers in Tehran during autumn 2025. From this population, 72 individuals were initially selected using purposive sampling; after attrition, the final sample consisted of 45 participants who were randomly assigned to three groups (15 participants per group). MBSR and ISTDP were each delivered individually over eight 90‑minute sessions to the experimental groups, while the control group was placed on a waiting list. Data were collected using the Maudsley Obsessive‑Compulsive Inventory (MOCI) and the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS). Results of repeated‑measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that both MBSR and ISTDP significantly reduced obsessive‑compulsive symptoms and improved treatment adherence, and these effects remained stable for at least one month post‑intervention. Furthermore, Bonferroni post‑hoc tests showed that MBSR was significantly more effective than ISTDP in reducing obsessive‑compulsive symptoms and improving treatment adherence (p < 0.05). This superiority may be attributed to MBSR’s capacity to enhance emotion regulation, reduce stress, and increase body awareness—factors that play a decisive role in managing chronic diseases and health‑oriented behaviors. Therefore, incorporating mindfulness‑based interventions as an effective approach alongside other psychological treatments may help improve treatment outcomes and quality of life in patients with NAFLD.
Keywords
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
Intensive Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP)
Obsessive compulsive symptoms
treatment adherence
Non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
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