Comparing the Effectiveness of Ellis' Rational-Emotive-Behavior Therapy (REBT) and Glasser's Reality Therapy (RT) on Reducing Depression Symptoms in Hemodialysis Patients and Control Group

Introduction: Dialysis as a treatment method in renal failure patients is a stressful process. This method has numerous psychological and social problems that can predispose the emergence of mental disorders in these patients. The present study was conducted to comparatively investigate the effectiveness of Ellis' Rational-Emotive-Behavior Therapy and Glasser's Reality Therapy in reducing depression symptoms in hemodialysis patients and control group. Research Method: The present research had a quasi-experimental design in which pre-test and post-test design with control group were used. The statistical population of this research included all hemodialysis patients in Imam Reza (AS) Hospital in Kermanshah in 2017-2018 among whom 45 people were selected as available and were randomly assigned to the experimental (30 people) and control groups (15 people). Patients were matched and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups based on some demographic characteristics. Each one of the experimental groups received eight sessions of psychological intervention in addition to their usual medical treatment, and the control group on the waiting list only received their usual medical treatment. Patients' depression scores` ratio was evaluated by Beck's Depression Inventory in pre-test and post-test, and then the data was analyzed using SPSS, version 22, software. Findings: The results of the present research showed that the depression scores of patients after the intervention in the three groups had a significant difference with each other. The results also showed that depression ratio in patients who had received Ellis' rational emotive therapy was significantly lower than that of Glasser's reality therapy (p <0.007). Conclusion: Although Ellis' rational emotive psychological intervention and Glasser's reality therapy both reduced the depression symptoms and signs in hemodialysis patients, Ellis’ rational emotive therapy was more effective than Glasser's reality therapy. To improve the psychological status of the hemodialysis patients, it is also recommended to use psychological treatments along with pharmacotherapy.