How to improve the well-being of patients in cardiac rehabilitation? A contribution of psychological treatments

IntroductionThe relationship between psychological factors and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been extensively studied, with a focus on predictive factors and patients’ responses in the acute and chronic phases. However, less is known about the impact of specific psychological treatments on the ps...

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Main Authors: Maura Crepaldi, Elisa Zambetti, Fiorella Lanfranchi, Emanuela Zenoni, Irene Bariletti, Francesco Quarenghi, Luigina Viscardi, Ginevra Rizzola, Valentina Regazzoni, Alessandra Bigoni, Francesca Brivio, Massimiliano Anselmi Kaiser, Irma Maria Soddu, Vittorio Giudici, Andrea Greco
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1592591/full
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author Maura Crepaldi
Elisa Zambetti
Fiorella Lanfranchi
Emanuela Zenoni
Irene Bariletti
Francesco Quarenghi
Luigina Viscardi
Ginevra Rizzola
Valentina Regazzoni
Alessandra Bigoni
Francesca Brivio
Massimiliano Anselmi Kaiser
Irma Maria Soddu
Vittorio Giudici
Andrea Greco
author_facet Maura Crepaldi
Elisa Zambetti
Fiorella Lanfranchi
Emanuela Zenoni
Irene Bariletti
Francesco Quarenghi
Luigina Viscardi
Ginevra Rizzola
Valentina Regazzoni
Alessandra Bigoni
Francesca Brivio
Massimiliano Anselmi Kaiser
Irma Maria Soddu
Vittorio Giudici
Andrea Greco
author_sort Maura Crepaldi
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionThe relationship between psychological factors and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been extensively studied, with a focus on predictive factors and patients’ responses in the acute and chronic phases. However, less is known about the impact of specific psychological treatments on the psychological status of patients in cardiovascular rehabilitation.MethodsThis study compares anxiety, depression and illness perception in patients with different CVD at three-time points: baseline (T0), end of the rehabilitation program (T1), and 3 months later (T2). One hundred and eighty-one patients in cardiovascular rehabilitation participated at three psychological treatments: psychoeducational intervention group, progressive muscle relaxation training with Jacobson’s technique and imaginative stabilization techniques, and individual counseling. The study included patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS), heart failure (HF), or undergoing cardiac surgery (CS), undergoing cardiovascular rehabilitation at ASST Bergamo Est between January and August 2023. Levels of anxiety, depression, and illness perception were measured by HADS and Brief-IPQ.ResultsSignificant differences were observed between T0, T1, and T2 in the three psychological treatments, with individual counseling showing the greatest improvements in anxiety, depression, and illness perception.DiscussionThe study shows that individual counseling significantly reduces the levels of depression and anxiety, while promoting a healthier perception of the disease in comparison with the other two psychological treatments offered. This process is critical to improving the psychological well-being of patients, and these results could be useful to better address health care policies.
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spelling doaj-art-4141de45a1df4c4a8f9902b27f6916052025-08-20T03:28:28ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-06-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.15925911592591How to improve the well-being of patients in cardiac rehabilitation? A contribution of psychological treatmentsMaura Crepaldi0Elisa Zambetti1Fiorella Lanfranchi2Emanuela Zenoni3Irene Bariletti4Francesco Quarenghi5Luigina Viscardi6Ginevra Rizzola7Valentina Regazzoni8Alessandra Bigoni9Francesca Brivio10Massimiliano Anselmi Kaiser11Irma Maria Soddu12Vittorio Giudici13Andrea Greco14Università degli Studi di Bergamo – Dipartimento di Scienze Umane e Sociali, Bergamo, ItalyUniversità degli Studi di Bergamo – Dipartimento di Scienze Umane e Sociali, Bergamo, ItalyAzienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale Bergamo Est – Struttura Semplice Dipartimentale di Psicologia, Seriate (Bergamo), ItalyAzienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale Bergamo Est – Struttura Semplice Dipartimentale di Psicologia, Seriate (Bergamo), ItalyAzienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale Bergamo Est – Struttura Semplice Dipartimentale di Psicologia, Seriate (Bergamo), ItalyAzienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale Bergamo Est – U. O. Specialistica di Riabilitazione Cardiovascolare, Seriate (Bergamo), ItalyAzienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale Bergamo Est – U. O. Specialistica di Riabilitazione Cardiovascolare, Seriate (Bergamo), ItalyAzienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale Bergamo Est – U. O. Specialistica di Riabilitazione Cardiovascolare, Seriate (Bergamo), ItalyAzienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale Bergamo Est – U. O. Specialistica di Riabilitazione Cardiovascolare, Seriate (Bergamo), ItalyUniversità degli Studi di Bergamo – Dipartimento di Scienze Umane e Sociali, Bergamo, ItalyUniversità degli Studi di Bergamo – Dipartimento di Scienze Umane e Sociali, Bergamo, ItalyUniversità degli Studi di Bergamo – Dipartimento di Scienze Umane e Sociali, Bergamo, ItalyUniversità degli Studi di Bergamo – Dipartimento di Scienze Umane e Sociali, Bergamo, ItalyAzienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale Bergamo Est – U. O. Specialistica di Riabilitazione Cardiovascolare, Seriate (Bergamo), ItalyUniversità degli Studi di Bergamo – Dipartimento di Scienze Umane e Sociali, Bergamo, ItalyIntroductionThe relationship between psychological factors and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been extensively studied, with a focus on predictive factors and patients’ responses in the acute and chronic phases. However, less is known about the impact of specific psychological treatments on the psychological status of patients in cardiovascular rehabilitation.MethodsThis study compares anxiety, depression and illness perception in patients with different CVD at three-time points: baseline (T0), end of the rehabilitation program (T1), and 3 months later (T2). One hundred and eighty-one patients in cardiovascular rehabilitation participated at three psychological treatments: psychoeducational intervention group, progressive muscle relaxation training with Jacobson’s technique and imaginative stabilization techniques, and individual counseling. The study included patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS), heart failure (HF), or undergoing cardiac surgery (CS), undergoing cardiovascular rehabilitation at ASST Bergamo Est between January and August 2023. Levels of anxiety, depression, and illness perception were measured by HADS and Brief-IPQ.ResultsSignificant differences were observed between T0, T1, and T2 in the three psychological treatments, with individual counseling showing the greatest improvements in anxiety, depression, and illness perception.DiscussionThe study shows that individual counseling significantly reduces the levels of depression and anxiety, while promoting a healthier perception of the disease in comparison with the other two psychological treatments offered. This process is critical to improving the psychological well-being of patients, and these results could be useful to better address health care policies.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1592591/fullcardiovascular rehabilitationpsychological treatmentindividual counselinganxietydepressionillness perception
spellingShingle Maura Crepaldi
Elisa Zambetti
Fiorella Lanfranchi
Emanuela Zenoni
Irene Bariletti
Francesco Quarenghi
Luigina Viscardi
Ginevra Rizzola
Valentina Regazzoni
Alessandra Bigoni
Francesca Brivio
Massimiliano Anselmi Kaiser
Irma Maria Soddu
Vittorio Giudici
Andrea Greco
How to improve the well-being of patients in cardiac rehabilitation? A contribution of psychological treatments
Frontiers in Psychology
cardiovascular rehabilitation
psychological treatment
individual counseling
anxiety
depression
illness perception
title How to improve the well-being of patients in cardiac rehabilitation? A contribution of psychological treatments
title_full How to improve the well-being of patients in cardiac rehabilitation? A contribution of psychological treatments
title_fullStr How to improve the well-being of patients in cardiac rehabilitation? A contribution of psychological treatments
title_full_unstemmed How to improve the well-being of patients in cardiac rehabilitation? A contribution of psychological treatments
title_short How to improve the well-being of patients in cardiac rehabilitation? A contribution of psychological treatments
title_sort how to improve the well being of patients in cardiac rehabilitation a contribution of psychological treatments
topic cardiovascular rehabilitation
psychological treatment
individual counseling
anxiety
depression
illness perception
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1592591/full
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