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Aim and Background: Cancer is one of the most common chronic diseases that its patients face with various psychological problems; therefore, methods should be sought to reduce the severity of the psychological problems among these patients. Therefore this study was done aimed to evaluate of effectiveness of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) on psychological symptoms of patients with cancer. Methods and Materials: It was a semi-experimental research and has been executed by pre-test and post-test with control group. The research population included all patients with cancer who referred to Shahid Mohammadi Hospital in Bandar Abbas. It contained 30 cancer patients who were selected through purposive sampling method and randomly placed in two experimental and control groups (15 individuals per group).The members of both groups completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) before and after the sessions of group therapy (within three months). Findings have been analyzed by SPSS software and covariance analysis (ANCOVA). Findings: The results showed that the difference between experimental group and control group were significant respectively in psychological symptoms of depression (F= 84.11, p<0.001), anxiety (F= 47.52, p<0.001) and stress (F= 59.51, p<0.001). Conclusions: According to the results, it can be said that it is necessary for therapeutic centers and support forums related with cancer patients to use MBCT in their plans to reduce psychological symptoms of patients.

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Aim and Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common inflammatory rheumatic disease. In most communities, its prevalence is approximately 3%. Anxiety has been reported as one of the most common displeasing psychological experiences in rheumatoid arthritis patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) on reducing anxiety in rheumatoid patients.
Methods and Materials: This study was a quasi-experimental study with pre-test and post-test design along with a control group. The statistical population of the study included patients with rheumatoid arthritis who had visited rheumatology clinics in Kerman during the research. We purposefully selected 40 males and females patients with rheumatoid arthritis as a statistical sample‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌. Then the members of the sample group were randomly divided into two 20-memebr parts as experimental and control groups. For the experimental group, 15 one-and-a-half-hour sessions of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy was performed once a week and individually. Research data was analyzed using analysis of covariance and SPSS 19 software.
Findings: After reviewing the pre-test scores between the experimental and control groups, the results of the study indicated that intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy is effective in reducing anxiety scores in rheumatoid patients (p<0.05).
Conclusions: The use of psychodynamic concepts and techniques in understanding anxiety disorders, seems to be very important. Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy considerably helps to reduce anxiety as well as clinical symptoms in rheumatoid patients by affecting the discharge path of anxiety and careful control and moment-by-moment monitoring of anxiety, emotions, and defenses.

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Aim and Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is associated with an increased risk of various types of psychological afflictions. Indication of these disorders is added to the erosive factors of chronic disease and has many negative effects on the level of adaptation and mental and social health of these people. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) on reducing alexithymia in rheumatoid patients.
Methods and Materials: The present research was a quasi-experimental study with pre-test, post-test design as well as control group. In order to select the sample, first of all, based on the criteria of the American Rheumatology Association and the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 40 male and female patients were purposefully selected from specialized rheumatology clinics in Kerman. This selection was made by rheumatologists. The members of the sample group were randomly divided into two 20-memeber groups of experimental and control. For the experimental group, 15 one-and-a-half-hour sessions of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy were held. Data were collected through Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS). Research data were analyzed using Analysis of covariance.
Findings: The findings showed that intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy is effective in reducing the rate of alexithymia in rheumatoid patients (p <0.05).
Conclusions: Patients first performed better in recognizing emotions and then improved their ability to describe emotions and physical symptoms. Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy by affecting on anxiety discharge pathway and exact control and moment-by-moment monitoring of anxiety, feelings and defenses helps to reduce clinical symptoms in rheumatoid patients.