Alireza Vahedi Hemat - M.A in Department of Psychology, College Human Science, Hamedan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Hamedan, Iran

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of group cognitive-behavioral therapy on reducing anxiety symptoms (traits and moods) of high school students with rheumatoid arthritis in Hamadan. This study was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population of the study included all male students studying in the second secondary school of Hamadan in the academic year 1398-99 (470 people), which 30 male students with rheumatoid arthritis were selected by convenience sampling method and divided into two experimental groups ((N = 15) and control (n = 15). The experimental group underwent cognitive-behavioral therapy group for 8 sessions of 1 hour and the control group waited for treatment during this period. Data collection method was based on Spielberger (1970) Anxiety (Trait-State) Questionnaire. Analysis of information obtained from the questionnaires was performed through SPSS 23 software in the inferential section (analysis of covariance). The results showed that group cognitive-behavioral therapy has an effect on reducing anxiety symptoms (traits and moods) of high school students with rheumatoid arthritis in Hamadan.

group therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, anxiety (state-adjective)