Evaluating the Mediating Role of Meaning in Life in the Effectiveness of Existential-Acceptance Therapy on Loneliness and Death Anxiety Among Older Adults with Chronic Physical Illnesses

modarresi, leyla sadat; kolahi, parisa; barakat, arsalan; delshad, taiebe; rahmani, soheila; jalali, amineh

Volume 19, Issue 3 (Volume19, Issue 3 2025) 2025, 19(3): 0-0 | Back to browse issues page

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modarresi L S, kolahi P, barakat A, delshad T, rahmani S, jalali A. Evaluating the Mediating Role of Meaning in Life in the Effectiveness of Existential-Acceptance Therapy on Loneliness and Death Anxiety Among Older Adults with Chronic Physical Illnesses. Research in psychological health 2025; 19 (3)
URL: http://rph.khu.ac.ir/article-1-4786-en.html

Evaluating the Mediating Role of Meaning in Life in the Effectiveness of Existential-Acceptance Therapy on Loneliness and Death Anxiety Among Older Adults with Chronic Physical Illnesses

Leyla sadat Modarresi¹

1- , lmodarresi@gmail.com

Abstract: (37 Views)

The present study aimed to evaluate the mediating role of meaning in life in the effectiveness of existential-acceptance therapy on loneliness and death anxiety among older adults with chronic physical illnesses. This semi-experimental study utilized a pretest-posttest and follow-up design with a control group. The statistical population comprised all older adults with chronic physical illnesses who referred to the specialized clinics of Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex and the specialized clinic of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran in 2026. Among them, 30 participants were selected using purposive sampling and randomly assigned into two groups: experimental (n=15) and control (n=15). The research instruments included Dhahiri’s Loneliness Scale, the Collett-Lester Fear of Death Scale, and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ). The experimental group received 8 sessions of 90-minute existential-acceptance therapy intervention, while the control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and path analysis. The results indicated that existential-acceptance therapy significantly reduced loneliness and death anxiety in the experimental group compared to the control group. Furthermore, the mediation analysis confirmed that meaning in life plays a positive and significant mediating role in the relationship between this therapeutic approach and the reduction of loneliness and death anxiety. Based on the findings, existential-acceptance therapy, through the reconstruction of the meaning system, enhancement of psychological flexibility, and acceptance of existential realities, serves as an effective strategy to alleviate psychological burnout and fundamental anxieties in older adults with chronic illnesses; therefore, utilizing this protocol in health psychology clinics and specialized geriatric clinics is recommended.

Keywords: Existential-Acceptance Therapy, Loneliness, Death Anxiety, Meaning in Life, Chronic Physical Illnesses, Older Adults.