Effect of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Patients with Physical Disabilities Acquired in Adulthood

Abstract

Objective: To compare the effect of a cognitive behavioral intervention to favored functional capacity and improve independence in patients with physical disabilities acquired in adulthood. Methods: Experimental, analytical, longitudinal study at the Family Medicine Unit No. 2 of Puebla, Mexico. A non-probabilistic convenience sample of patients with physical disabilities acquired in adulthood over 18 years of age were included, and those with psychological or psychiatric treatment or with intellectual disability were excluded. A total of 56 patients participated; they received eight weekly sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and the Beck Depression Inventory and the Barthel Index were applied before and after the intervention. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed to compare whether there was a change after therapy. Results: 41% of patients showed moderate depression before and after the intervention; 33.3% showed mild depression; a significant difference was obtained with a p=0.001. As for the level of independence, there was no significant difference after the intervention. Conclusions: CBT reduced depressive symptoms but did not promote independence in patients with physical disability that began in adulthood.