scholarly journals The BrainACT study: acceptance and commitment therapy for depressive and anxiety symptoms following acquired brain injury: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Trials ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanne Rauwenhoff ◽  
Frenk Peeters ◽  
Yvonne Bol ◽  
Caroline Van Heugten
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment Therapy ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Acquired Brain Injury ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Commitment Therapy ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment ◽  
Number Of Patients

Abstract Background Following an acquired brain injury, individuals frequently experience anxiety and/or depressive symptoms. However, current treatments for these symptoms are not very effective. A promising treatment is acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), which is a third-wave behavioural therapy. The primary goal of this therapy is not to reduce symptoms, but to improve psychological flexibility and general well-being, which may be accompanied by a reduction in symptom severity. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of an adapted ACT intervention (BrainACT) in people with acquired brain injury who experience anxiety and/or depressive symptoms. Methods The study is a multicenter, randomized, controlled, two-arm parallel trial. In total, 94 patients who survive a stroke or traumatic brain injury will be randomized into an ACT or control (i.e. psycho-education and relaxation) intervention. The primary outcome measures are the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale. Outcomes will be assessed by trained assessors, blinded to treatment condition, pre-treatment, during treatment, post-treatment, and at 7 and 12 months. Discussion This study will contribute to the existing knowledge on how to treat psychological distress following acquired brain injury. If effective, BrainACT could be implemented in clinical practice and potentially help a large number of patients with acquired brain injury. Trial registration Dutch Trial Register, NL691, NTR 7111. Registered on 26 March 2018. https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/6916.

A Four-Session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Based Intervention for Depressive Symptoms Delivered by Masters Degree Level Psychology Students: A Preliminary Study

2013 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 360-373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aino Kohtala ◽  
Raimo Lappalainen ◽  
Laura Savonen ◽  
Elina Timo ◽  
Asko Tolvanen
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment Therapy ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychology Students ◽  
Waiting List ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Average Decrease ◽  
Commitment Therapy ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment

Background:Depressive symptoms are one of the main reasons for seeking psychological help. Shorter interventions using briefly trained therapists could offer a solution to the ever-rising need for early and easily applicable psychological treatments.Aims:The current study examines the effectiveness of a four-session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) based treatment for self-reported depressive symptoms administered by Masters level psychology students.Method:This paper reports the effectiveness of a brief intervention compared to a waiting list control (WLC) group. Participants were randomized into two groups: ACT (n= 28) and waiting list (n= 29). Long-term effects were examined using a 6-month follow-up.Results:The treatment group's level of depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory) decreased by an average of 47%, compared to an average decrease of 4% in the WLC group. Changes in psychological well-being in the ACT group were better throughout, and treatment outcomes were maintained after 6 months. The posttreatment “between-group” and follow-up “with-in group” effect sizes (Cohen'sd) were large to medium for depressive symptoms and psychological flexibility.Conclusions:The results support the brief ACT-based intervention for sub-clinical depressive symptoms when treatment was conducted by briefly trained psychology students. It also contributes to the growing body of evidence on brief ACT-based treatments and inexperienced therapists.

A Systematic Review of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Managing Anxiety: Applicability for People With Acquired Brain Injury?

2011 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl Soo ◽  
Robyn L. Tate ◽  
Amanda Lane-Brown
Keyword(s):  
Brain Injury ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment Therapy ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Acquired Brain Injury ◽  
Emotional States ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Commitment Therapy ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment

AbstractAcceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is increasingly used in clinical practice to manage anxiety conditions. This psychotherapeutic approach focuses on the following: (1) acceptance of an individual's experience of the spectrum of psychological and emotional states, (2) choosing valued direction for the individual's life, and (3) commitment to action that leads the individual in the direction of those values. This article presents an empirical review of ACT for treatment of anxiety in two parts. In the first part we systematically review the literature for studies examining ACT for anxiety management in the general population with anxiety problems. In the second part, we discuss applicability of acceptance-based approaches for a health population in which these techniques may have applicability, that is, for people with acquired brain injury (ABI). Electronic searches for the review were conducted on PsycINFO and Medline. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) used an ACT intervention study, (2) the target of the intervention was an anxiety disorder or anxiety symptomatology, (3) the intervention used a randomised controlled trial (RCT) or single case experimental design (SCED) methodology, and (4) the paper was available in English. Studies were rated for methodological quality using standardised assessment procedures. Four RCTs provided support for ACT for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), maths anxiety, trichotillomania (TTM), and mixed anxiety and depression. Three SCED trials scoring in the high range on the scale of methodological quality revealed some support for ACT for managing TTM, skin picking, and OCD. Although no studies were identified that investigated ACT for managing anxiety in people with ABI, the review highlights issues for consideration when applying ACT in this population.

scholarly journals Acceptance and commitment therapy as a web-based intervention for depressive symptoms: Randomised controlled trial

2016 ◽  
Vol 208 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy T. M. Pots ◽  
Martine Fledderus ◽  
Peter A. M. Meulenbeek ◽  
Peter M. ten Klooster ◽  
Karlein M. G. Schreurs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment Therapy ◽  
Expressive Writing ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Waiting List ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Commitment Therapy ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment

BackgroundDepression is a highly prevalent disorder, causing a large burden of disease and substantial economic costs. Web-based self-help interventions seem promising in promoting mental health.AimsTo compare the efficacy of a guided web-based intervention based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) with an active control (expressive writing) and a waiting-list control condition (Netherlands Trial Register NTR1296).MethodAdults with depressive symptoms from the general population were randomised to ACT (n = 82), expressive writing (n = 67) or waiting-list control (n = 87). The main outcome was reduction in depressive symptoms assessed with the Center for Epidemiological Studies – Depression scale.ResultsSignificant reductions in depressive symptoms were found following the ACT intervention, compared with the control group (Cohen's d = 0.56) and the expressive writing intervention (d = 0.36). The effects were sustained at 6-month and 12-month follow-up.ConclusionsAcceptance and commitment therapy as a web-based public mental health intervention for adults with depressive symptoms can be effective and applicable.

scholarly journals The Effect of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Improving Psychological Well-Being in Parents of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Randomized Controlled Trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 880
Author(s):  
Flavia Marino ◽  
Chiara Failla ◽  
Paola Chilà ◽  
Roberta Minutoli ◽  
Alfio Puglisi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment Therapy ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Commitment Therapy ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment

Background: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has been demonstrated as effective in improving psychological well-being in several clinical domains, but there is no evidence regarding the parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, we evaluated the efficacy of the ACT matrix behavioral protocol in comparison to the Parent Training (PT) program, measuring several primary and secondary outcomes prior to and following treatments. Twelve parents were randomly and equally assigned to two demographically matched groups wherein individuals underwent 24 weekly meetings of ACT protocol (experimental group) or conventional PT (control group). Results: Parents enrolled in the ACT protocol demonstrated significant improvement in psychological flexibility, awareness states, personal values in everyday life, and parental stress, whereas reduced scores were elicited in parents’ perceptions of their child’s disruptive behaviors. Conclusions: The results of this randomized controlled trial, if repeated with a large number of subjects, could open the way to include ACT protocols in daily practice to support the development of new parenting skills.

scholarly journals A Randomized Controlled Trial of Multiple Versions of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Matrix App for Well-Being

2017 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 246-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Krafft ◽  
Sarah Potts ◽  
Benjamin Schoendorff ◽  
Michael E. Levin
Keyword(s):  
Acceptance And Commitment Therapy ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Psychological Skills ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Commitment Therapy ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment

Mobile apps may be useful in teaching psychological skills in a high-frequency, low-intensity intervention. The acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) matrix is a visual tool to help develop psychological flexibility by categorizing moment-to-moment experience and is well suited to a mobile app. This pilot study tested the effects of a simple and complex version of a novel app using the ACT matrix in two distinct samples: help-seeking individuals ( n = 35) and students receiving SONA credit ( n = 63). Findings indicated no differences between app conditions and a waitlist condition in the SONA credit sample. However, in the help-seeking sample, improvements were found on well-being and valued action in participants who used the app, with greater improvements and app adoption for those using a complex version with additional skills. A mobile app based on the ACT matrix has benefits for help-seeking individuals, but supplementary features may be necessary to support consistent use and benefits.

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