The Effect of a Positive Psychotherapy-Based Program on the Perceived Social Support of Patients with Depression

Positive psychotherapy aims to enhance the quality of life in patients while alleviating the symptoms of their condition. This study sought to evaluate the impact of a positive psychotherapy-based program on the social adjustment of patients with depression.

This randomized clinical trial involved 66 patients diagnosed with depressive disorder who were hospitalized in the psychiatric wards of Khorshid and Farabi hospitals in Isfahan during 2022. Participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention group or the control group, with 33 individuals in each. The intervention group underwent a series of six group-based training sessions, each lasting 90 minutes, conducted twice a week with 8-10 participants per session. The control group received standard routine care. Perceived social support was assessed using a standardized questionnaire at three time points: before the intervention, immediately after the intervention, and 1 month later. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive and inferential statistical methods in SPSS (version 16).

Significant differences in the mean perceived social support scores were observed between the two groups both immediately after the intervention (t = -2.12, df = 42.35, p = 0.040) and 1 month later (t = 3.09, df = 44.42, p = 0.003). In addition, within the intervention group, the mean perceived social support scores showed significant variation across the three measurement points (F = 16.84, p < 0.001).

The positive psychotherapy-based program effectively improved the perceived social support of patients with depression in the intervention group compared to the control group.