Effectiveness of Schema Therapy on Anxiety, Depression, Fatigue, Quality of Life, and Sleep in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Anxiety disorders are common among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Schema therapy may prove successful in the treatment of psychological disorders in MS patients. Objectives: This study evaluated the effectiveness of schema therapy on anxiety, depression, sleep quality, and fatigue in patients with MS. Methods: This research was a randomized controlled trial examining the effect of schema therapy on anxiety in MS. It was conducted on 106 patients with MS visiting the MS clinics of Isfahan, Iran, in 2020. The participants were divided into two groups by using block randomization. The evaluations were performed during one year at three times: pretest (Time 1), posttest (Time 2), and follow-up (Time 3). The assessments were conducted using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), 29-item Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). SPSS v. 26 was used to analyze the data. Results: There was a significant decrease in anxiety and depression in the group receiving schema therapy compared to the control group (P < 0.001). The group × time interaction effect was also significant for anxiety and depression (P < 0.001), but no significant effect on fatigue, quality of life, and sleep was observed. Conclusions: The findings indicated the effectiveness of schema therapy in decreasing anxiety and depression in patients with MS.