Effects of Positive Psychotherapy-Based Education on Pain, Psychological Resilience, and Mental Well-Being After Lumbar Canal Stenosis Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Aim This study was conducted to investigate the effects of positive psychotherapy-based education on pain, psychological resilience, and mental well-being after lumbar canal stenosis surgery.Materials and Methods A randomized controlled experimental study was conducted with 66 participants (33 control, 33 experimental) at the Brain and Neurosurgery Department of Medical Center X between March 2025 and July 2025. The control group received no intervention, while the experimental group received 8 weeks of psychoeducation based on positive psychotherapy. Pretests were administered to the control and experimental groups in March 2025. The training of the experimental group was administered between April 2025 and May 2025. Data collection tools included the Descriptive Characteristics Form, Pain Scale, Brief Resilience Scale, and Mental Well-Being Scale. It was determined that the data showed normal distribution, and parametric tests were used in the analyses. Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used to compare the descriptive characteristics of the patients in the experimental and control groups. A t-test was applied to the dependent and independent groups to determine the effect of the training.Findings In the study, no statistically significant difference was found in the comparison of the pretest pain, psychological resilience, and mental well-being scales of the control and experimental groups (p = 0.259, p = 0.177, p = 0.428). In the study, a statistically significant difference was found in the comparison of the posttest pain, psychological resilience, and mental well-being scales of the control and experimental groups (p = 0.001). In the study, a statistically significant difference was found in the pretest-posttest pain, psychological resilience and mental well-being scale total score averages of the experimental group (p = 0.001).Conclusion and Recommendations Positive psychotherapy-based education was effective in reducing pain and increasing psychological resilience, and mental well-being in patients after lumbar spinal stenosis surgery. Based on these findings, positive psychotherapy-based education can be recommended as an adjunct to pharmacological treatment for not only physical but also psychological recovery.