Effectiveness of Spiritual Counseling on the Enhancement of Hope in Iranian Muslim Patients with Myocardial Infarction: A Two-Month Follow-Up

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of spiritual counseling on hope in patients with myocardial infarction over a two-month period. Fifty-six Iranian Muslim patients with myocardial infarction participated; participants were randomly allocated to either the intervention group (n = 28) or the control group (n = 28). The experiment group received three sessions of group spiritual counseling. The patients' hope was measured before intervention and immediately, one month, and two months after the intervention. The results indicated that no significant difference in hope was present between the interven tion and control groups at baseline (Z = − 2.56, effect size = 0.75,P = 0.1). Significance between-group differences favoring the intervention group, however, were noted immediately post-intervention (Z = − 2.72, effect size = 0.91,P = 0.007), one month afterward (Z =  − 6.22, effect size = 3.14,P <  0.001), and two months afterward (Z = − 6.10, effect size = 2.65,P <  0.001). Hope significantly improved in the intervention group during the study. Utilizing spiritual counseling as an effective non-aggressive form of treatment can improve hope among patients with myocardial infarction.
Source: Journal of Religion and Health - Category: Medical Ethics Source Type: research