Counselling based on reality therapy reduces the level of stress, anxiety, and depression in pregnant women awaiting amniocentesis result: A randomized trial

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effect of reality therapy counselling on the levels of stress, anxiety and depression of women awaiting the result of amniocentesis.

Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on the pregnant women who had referred to genetic laboratory to provide their amniocentesis samples in Isfahan, Iran from November 2019 to February 2020. Pregnant women were divided into the control and intervention groups. The control group received routine care. The intervention group received reality therapy counselling during eight merged sessions (two sessions in week). Each therapy session lasted for 90 to 120 minutes. Both groups completed the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 items (DASS-21) questionnaire level before and after the intervention. These three variables (depression, anxiety and stress) were the primary variables of the study.

Results: 64 pregnant women were included, with 32 in each group. Before the intervention, the mean score of anxiety and depression had no significant difference between the control and intervention groups, but after the reality therapy counselling, the mean scores of stress, anxiety, and depression in the intervention group decreased significantly compared to the control group (P<0.001).

Conclusions: Reality therapy counselling can be offered as a simple, effective and accessible way to reduce stress, anxiety and depression in women awaiting amniocentesis result.

Keywords

Amniocentesis / Anxiety / Depression / Reality therapy / Stress

Conflict of interest statement

No conflicts of interest were declared concerning the publication of this article.

Acknowledgements

This article is adapted from the approved thesis by Kerman University of Medical Sciences which was performed with the financial support of the research deputy of the University. The authors would like to thank the research deputy of Kerman University of Medical Sciences for their sincere cooperation.

Funding

This study was supported by Student Research Committee, Kerman University of Medical Sciences (Protocol No. 1398.020, Date: 09.08.2019).

Authors’ contributions

Firoozeh Mirzaee and Maryam Ghaderi Najafabadi conceived and designed the study. Data collection was carried out with the participation of Maryam Ghaderi Najafabadi, Atefeh Ahmadi and Nader Shahrokhi; Moghaddameh Mirzaee contributed to the interpretation of data. All of authors provided expertise throughout the study and contributed to the critical revision of the manuscript.

Publisher’ s Note

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