Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in reducing feelings of loneliness and positive/negative affect in depressed patients visiting psychological centers in Dezful.
Method: This applied research was a single-subject quasi-experimental design without a control group. The statistical population consisted of depressed patients visiting psychological centers in Dezful, who were diagnosed with depression, loneliness, and positive and negative affect based on the Beck Depression Inventory and a psychiatric diagnosis. The participant in this study was a 29-year-old female. To collect data, the Loneliness Scale by Russell et al. (1978) and the Positive and Negative Affect Scale by Watson, Clark, and Tellegen (1988) were used. In this study, brain stimulation was applied through transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with a weak current of 2 mA for 20 minutes, administered for 12 days.
Findings: The results indicated that transcranial stimulation was effective in reducing depression in the post-test compared to the pre-test (p < 0.05), with a 44% improvement in depression. Furthermore, transcranial stimulation was effective in reducing loneliness (p < 0.05), with a 24% improvement in loneliness in the pre-test and a 41% improvement in the post-test. However, the stimulation had no significant effect on positive and negative affect.
Conclusion: It seems that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can play a significant role in reducing depression and loneliness and improving positive and negative affect. Health professionals can consider incorporating this method into therapeutic interventions.