Attachment-Based Compassion Therapy for Reducing Anxiety and Depression in Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia patients often experience anxiety and depressive symptoms; however, validated interventions show only limited efficacy. This pilot study analyzed the effects of a 16-session version of attachment-based compassion therapy (ABCT-16) for improving anxiety and depressive symptomatology, as...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Authors: Santos, Alicia|||0000-0002-2179-6189; Crespo, Iris|||0000-0002-1212-4540; Pérez-Aranda, Adrián|||0000-0002-1602-3413; Beltrán-Ruiz, María|||0000-0003-0786-535X; Puebla-Guedea, Marta|||0000-0002-8862-7240; Garcia-Campayo, Javier|||0000-0002-3797-4218
Format: Article
Publication date:2022
Country:España
Institution:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repository:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:268851
Online Access:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/268851
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.3390/ijerph19138152
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Attachment-based compassion therapy
Fibromyalgia
Self-compassion
Decentering
Anxiety
Depression
Description
Summary:Fibromyalgia patients often experience anxiety and depressive symptoms; however, validated interventions show only limited efficacy. This pilot study analyzed the effects of a 16-session version of attachment-based compassion therapy (ABCT-16) for improving anxiety and depressive symptomatology, as well as self-compassion and decentering, in 11 fibromyalgia patients. Scales were assessed at four time points: baseline, after sessions 8 and 16, and 3.5 months after the completion of the program. Significant improvements were found in all outcomes after the program, and most remained significant in the follow-up assessment. Our preliminary results suggest that ABCT-16 can be effective for improving anxiety and depressive symptomatology in fibromyalgia patients. Nonetheless, further studies with larger samples and control groups are necessary to confirm these results.