G-3561

The Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Controlling Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Patients: A Quasi-Experimental Study

 Ahmad Sobhani ¹ ©, Marjan Ghazanfari Harandi ², Shaghayegh Beheshtinejad ³ ℗   

 
Abstract

Introduction: The high prevalence of hypertension and its severe physical and psychological consequences make it a critical area of study in medical research. Hypertension is often managed through pharmacological interventions; however, non-pharmacological methods can play a complementary and effective role in improving the quality of life in these patients. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), as one of these methods, offers potential benefits in managing both psychological and physiological aspects of hypertension. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of CBT in controlling blood pressure in patients with hypertension. Methods and Materials: This quasi-experimental study with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design included a control group. A total of 34 adult patients with hypertension, who attended medical centers in northern Isfahan in 2025, were selected using purposive sampling and were randomly and equally assigned to either an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group underwent eight 90-minute sessions of CBT, while the control group did not receive any intervention during the study period. A demographic questionnaire was administered, and blood pressure levels were measured using a digital sphygmomanometer before the intervention (pre-test), immediately after the intervention (post-test), and three months following the intervention (follow-up). Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) via SPSS-27 software.  Results: Results of the repeated measures ANOVA indicated a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the mean scores of both systolic and diastolic blood pressure across the three assessment points (pre-test, post-test, and follow-up) (p 0.05). These results demonstrate that CBT significantly reduced blood pressure in the experimental group compared to the control group, and the improvements were sustained during the follow-up period. Conclusion and Discussion: The findings of this study suggest that CBT, through techniques such as relaxation, calming, and cognitive restructuring, can be effectively utilized alongside pharmacological treatments to manage blood pressure in hypertensive patients. Its potential as a cost-effective and non-invasive intervention may help improve treatment adherence and provide long-term benefits.

Keywords: Cognitive behavioral therapy, blood pressure, hypertension