Virtual Focused ACT Groups in Primary Care

University of Manitoba

Status: Completed

Conditions: Acceptance Processes; Quality of Life; Depression; Anxiety

Treatments: Behavioral: Focused ACT

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05071768

H2021:298

Details and patient eligibility

About

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a transdiagnostic intervention whose aim is to reduce experiential avoidance and promote psychological flexibility, which involves engaging in values-based behaviour while accepting painful internal experiences with openness and awareness. A growing body of research supports the efficacy of brief ACT for a variety of issues, including depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and stress. Given that ACT is a transdiagnostic intervention that targets the core processes related to human suffering, this treatment may be particularly useful for implementation in primary care with diverse groups of individuals and presentations. The objective of this study is to develop and pilot test a brief, virtual, group-based ACT intervention for depression and anxiety delivered in primary care settings to determine if a future randomized controlled trial of this group treatment is both warranted and feasible. The investigators will examine (1) the feasibility and acceptability of the study procedures, (2) clinician adherence to the treatment protocol, and (3) a preliminary analysis of the treatment effectiveness. A total of 3 groups (N = 30-45) will be conducted via three primary care clinics in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The group treatment will be delivered over four 90-minute sessions. Participants will complete assessment measures at pretreatment, post-treatment, and at two follow-up time points (1-month post-treatment and 3-6-months post-treatment). All assessments and treatment sessions will be conducted virtually via videoconferencing platform.

Enrollment: 31 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• self-reported symptoms of depression and/or anxiety
• fluent in English
• access to reliable internet and a device with a webcam as well as a private/quite space from which to attend sessions
• no change in psychotropic medication for at least 6 weeks prior to the intervention
• willingness to maintain a stable medication type and dose for psychotropic medications during the intervention phase and for one month post-intervention

Exclusion criteria

• engagement in another psychological treatment during the intervention phase or one month post-intervention
• current psychosis
• bipolar disorder
• current substance use disorder
• cognitive/intellectual impairment
• current active suicidal ideation

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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31 participants in 1 patient group

ACT

Experimental group

Description:

Focused ACT Group Treatment

Treatment:

Behavioral: Focused ACT