The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Panic and Test Anxiety of Students with Panic Disorder in Kashan

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy is effective on a wide range of mental disorders such as panic and test anxiety.The purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on panic and test anxiety of students with panic disorder in Kashan city. Method: The current research was a semi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest control group design. The statistical population includes all students suffering from panic disorder in Kashan city in 2021-22, from which 30 students were chosen through convenient sampling method and randomly placed in the experimental and control groups (each group included 15 people). Participants first completed Spielberger's test anxiety questionnaire and Gutenberg's panic questionnaire (1989) and were both subsequently reevaluated once the experimental group had gone through mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Data was analyzed using SPSS26 and by covariance analysis method. Results: The results showed that, when the significance level is 0.05, a significant difference in the test anxiety and panic was reported between the two groups of participants in the research (P<0.05). Conclusion: Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy increases awareness towards physical and mental feelings and leads to trust and true acceptance of life events which reduces panic disorder.