BACKGROUND: Migraine is the most common type of headache among patients who seek medical care. Migraine is one of most important factors of work absence or avoid of each personal and social activity. Frequent incidence of headache has numerous adverse effects on the patient's lifestyle and social activities. METHODS: The study was a semi-experimental applied pretest-posttest-designed study with control/trail groups. 40 migraine patients came to the neurologic clinics of Ahwaz Hospitals, Ahvaz, Iran, were divided in 2 equal groups of control and trial based on simple randomization sampling. The data collection instruments were headache syndrome questionnaire and Short-Form Health Survey questionnaire. Psychosocial therapy attended at 8, 60-minutes sessions which control groups were not participated. Questionnaires were administered before and after 8 sessions of treatment, for both groups. To compare the frequency and severity of migraine attacks and quality of life, in pretest and posttest of groups, ANCOVA test was used. FINDINGS: Comparing the groups showed significant differences between the frequency (F = 46.78; p = 0.0001), severity (F = 184.87; p = 0.0001) and duration of attacks (F = 1107.74; p = 0.0001). The effectiveness of psychosocial treatment was 53% on frequency, 83% on severity and 76% on duration of attacks. Also, adjusted mean scores of quality of life and physical and mental functions were significantly higher after the treatment (F = 18.08; p = 0.0001). Effect of psychosocial treatment were 33% on the patients' quality of life. CONCLUSION: According to our findings in the present research, psychosocial treatment of migraine patients improved the frequency, severity and duration of headache attacks. In addition, it improved the patients' quality of life and physical and mental functions. We recommend to apply this method for promotion of quality of life in these patients.

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