Buddhist - oriented individual counseling for depressed chronic illness patients

Abstract

Objective To examine the outcomes of Buddhist-oriented individual counseling for depressed chronic illness patients.

Materials and methods Single group pre- and post-test design was used with a convenience sampling. The 17 depressed chronic illness patients were voluntary
participated. The Buddhist-oriented individual counseling program based on the Four Noble Truths. This counseling program lasted 90-120 minutes including 6 steps: 1)
establishing morally faith (kalayana), 2) knowing suffering and nature of suffering (dukkha), 3) knowing roots of suffering (samudaya), 4) cessation (nirodha), 5) the
eightfold path, and 6) judiciousness (yoniso). The Thai Depression Inventory was used to evaluate the level of depression, prior to and 2 week after the counseling.
Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test. Qualitative data were analyzed by using content analysis at the 2 week follow up.

Results The result revealed that the score of the depression was significantly decrease after receiving the Buddhist-oriented individual counseling. The subjects were
able to utilize the four Buddhistûs noble truths to solve their sufferings. They were able to understand the world and themselves according to the way things were. They
were aware of their feelings and able to manage them appropriately by practicing mindfulness meditation.

Conclusion The Buddhist-oriented counseling was effective in depressive reduction in the patients with chronic illness.