The effect of acceptance and commitment counseling on the coping self-efficacy of mothers with unplanned pregnancy: A controlled clinical trial

Background Unplanned pregnancies present a significant challenge in reproductive health due to their unexpected nature, leading to adverse consequences for women, children, families, and society. Recognizing the importance of maternal self-efficacy in managing unplanned pregnancies, this study aimed to determine the impact of acceptance and commitment-based counseling on coping self-efficacy among mothers facing unplanned pregnancies. Methods This clinical trial involved 108 mothers with unplanned pregnancies in Ardabil city, located in northwest Iran. Participants were selected using convenience sampling, and block random allocation placed individuals into intervention and control groups. Data were collected through demographic and midwifery information forms, the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy (LMUP), Chesney’s Coping Self-Efficacy Scale (CES) and the Ghodratnama Social-Economic Questionnaire. The statistical analysis utilized SPSS version 16 and included T-Test, ANOVA, and repeated measures tests. Results The mean age of the intervention and control groups was 30.87 ± 6.32 and 29.11 ± 5.57, respectively. Most women in both groups (32.3%) were pregnant for the second time. The mean pregnancy age in the intervention and control groups was 13.22 ± 3.21 and 11.10 ± 4.16, respectively. Coping self-efficacy mean scores in the intervention group changed from 107.55 ± 35.84 before the intervention to 125.36 ± 34.78 two months after. In the control group, it changed from 98.6 ± 31.86 to 108.12 ± 22.38. There was no statistically significant difference in coping self-efficacy between the two study groups before the intervention. However, immediately after the intervention (p < 0.001) and two months later (p = 0.003), a significant difference was observed, demonstrating the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment-based counseling on coping self-efficacy among mothers with unplanned pregnancies. Conclusion Given the impact of acceptance and commitment-based counseling on coping self-efficacy among mothers with unplanned pregnancies, it is recommended to incorporate this counseling intervention into maternal care programs for unplanned pregnancies. Trial registration This study, identified as code A-11-38-10 at Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, was registered with the Iranian Clinical Trial Center under the code IRCT20151211025477N7 on August 28, 2023.