Efficacy, Feasibility, and Acceptability of the DeST-ACT: Trauma-Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Program

CanSagligi Foundation

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders

Treatments: Behavioral: The DeST-ACT Trauma-Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Program

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06429852

CSV202403

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of this study is to develop a post-earthquake, trauma-focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based psychosocial intervention program (DeST-ACT) and to examine its effectiveness, feasibility, and acceptability of this program in enhancing life satisfaction and psychological flexibility in individuals exposed to earthquake trauma.

In this regard, the main hypothesis is that the DeST-ACT psychosocial intervention program is effective, feasible, and acceptable among individuals exposed to earthquake trauma, including both primary and secondary outcomes of the program.

Full description

This quantitative, randomized controlled trial involves two groups and includes a pre-test and repeated post-tests. The study aims to assess the effectiveness, feasibility, and acceptability of the developed DeST-ACT program in addressing post-traumatic stress disorder, psychological flexibility, life satisfaction, values-based living, and depression-anxiety-stress levels in individuals affected by the February 6, 2023 earthquake. Participants will be randomly assigned to experimental and control groups in a 1:1 ratio using an internet-based block randomization program.

The DeST-ACT psychosocial intervention program consists of a 4-session online intervention supported by self-help materials. Each session in the 4-week program is held once a week for 50 minutes.

The main hypotheses are:

• The intervention group will demonstrate a significant decrease in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression-anxiety-stress levels compared to the control group.
• The intervention group will experience a greater increase in values-based living, life satisfaction, and psychological flexibility over time compared to the control group.
• The intervention group will demonstrate a significant decrease in PTSD and depression-anxiety-stress levels compared to baseline measures.
• The intervention group will experience a greater increase in values-based living, life satisfaction, and psychological flexibility over time compared to baseline measures.

Enrollment: 40 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Volunteering to participate in the research
• Being present in cities such as Kahramanmaras, Gaziantep, Hatay, Adiyaman, or Malatya during the earthquake on February 6, where destruction occurred
• Being literate
• Being able to have an online interview with the therapist
• Having sub-threshold PTSD or PTSD

Exclusion criteria

• Being in other cities at the time of the earthquake and not being exposed to the earthquake
• Having visual and/or hearing problems
• Having any psychotic disorder, experiencing an active mood episode, or having conditions such as intellectual disability or dementia that would prevent participation in therapy
• Starting a new psychiatric treatment during the research period or having a change in medication or dosage within the last 3 months.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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40 participants in 2 patient groups

DeST-ACT Intervention Group

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in the intervention group will undergo the DeST-ACT psychosocial intervention. This program includes a 4-session online intervention supplemented with self-help materials. These materials comprise concise texts designed to reinforce the skills covered in each session.

Treatment:

Behavioral: The DeST-ACT Trauma-Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Program

Waitlist Group

No Intervention group

Description:

The other group will consist of participants on the wait-list. Similar to those in the intervention group, participants in the waitlist group will undergo research assessments at baseline, post-therapy, and 1 month after therapy. Subsequently, they will be included in the 4-session intervention program. No measurements will be taken after the intervention.