ACT-Pilot
ACT Pilot (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy after Stroke - Pilot Study)
One in three people develop clinically relevant symptoms of depression after a stroke, such as persistent depression, loss of interest or a negative self-image. And one in four people report clinically relevant anxiety, e.g. about the recurrence of a stroke.
Studies on the effectiveness of psychotherapy after stroke have so far concentrated on cognitive behavioural therapy and have described inconsistent results. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (or ACT for short) is a modern development of behavioural therapy that aims to promote mental health - regardless of the underlying diagnosis. Studies have repeatedly demonstrated the effectiveness of ACT for staff, people with physical illnesses such as cancer.
At James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, UK, an ACT-based group therapy manual for staff, people with neurological conditions has been developed and evaluated (Bowers et al., 2021). In the current pilot study at Bielefeld University, this manual was translated into German and adapted to the requirements of the German healthcare system and the needs of staff, people with stroke.
For this pilot study, two groups of up to six stroke patients each are being conducted at the Neuropsychological University Outpatient Clinic (NeuroPABi). The feasibility and acceptance of the therapy by the participants and therapists will be evaluated as part of the study. In addition, initial indications of the effectiveness in reducing depression, anxiety and stress as well as promoting mental health in terms of ACT (psychological flexibility, value-congruent living and self-as-context) will be analysed.
The manual is adapted and the groups are conducted under the expert supervision of a psychotherapist with many years of ACT experience. Questionnaires were translated into simple language to take into account cognitive and language impairments after stroke, which can also be used in other settings and populations. This can support inclusion in psychotherapy research. The study is sponsored by the Bielefeld Young Investigators Fund.
Literature: Bowers, H., Hill, G., Webster, A., & Bowman, A. R. (2021). Living Well with Neurological Conditions: Clinical outcomes, insights and reflections on three years of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy group intervention. Neuropsychologist (12), 33-42. DOI: 10.53841/bpsneur.2021.1.12.33