THE EFFECTIVENESS OF COGNITIVE THERAPY ON DECREASE OF DEPRESSION IN LEPER PATIENTS OF TABRIZ CITY

Patients with physical chronic diseases have mental and emotional problems
such as depression. In general, about 5-10% of patients suffer major depression even in primary care
process. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive therapy in
depressed leper patients.
Materials & Methods: This quasi experimental study was conducted on two groups and in three
measurement stages. 32 men and women available patients with leprosy in Tabriz Baba Baghi skin
researches center participated in this study. To collect data, Beck depression and automatic thoughts
questionnaires were used before (pretest), during (post-test 1), after (post-test 2), and one month after
the intervention (post-test 3). The cognitive therapy intervention in Experimental group was conducted
in 20 meetings - once a week for two hours. Covariance analysis was used to analyze the data.
Results: Results showed that depression of leper patients after, and one month after the intervention
decreased meaningfully (in 0. 05 levels).
Conclusions: Cognitive therapy has an important role in decreasing depression in leper patients and
continuity of that effectiveness observed at least one month after the intervention.