Approximately 14% of the working-age Swedish population are either on long-term sick leave or early retirement due to disability. Substantial increase of sick listing, reports of work disabilities and early retirement due to stress and musculoskeletal chronic pain suggest a need for methods of preventing loss of function resulting from these conditions. The present preliminary investigation examined the effects of a brief Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention for the treatment of public health sector workers who showed chronic stress/pain and were at risk for high sick leave utilization. ACT was compared in an additive treatment design with medical treatment as usual (MTAU). A group of 19 participants were randomly distributed into 2 groups. Both conditions received MTAU. The ACT condition received four 1-hour weekly sessions of ACT in addition to MTAU. At post and 6-month followup, ACT participants showed fewer sick days and used fewer medical treatment resources than those in the MTAU condition. No significant differences were found in levels of pain, stress, or quality of life. Improvements in sick leave and medical utilization could not be accounted for by remission of stress and pain in the ACT group as no between-group differences were found for stress or pain symptoms.According to a recent report from the State Department of Sweden, the frequency of persons on long-term sick leave and subsequent early disability pension is one of the highest in the world (Rydh, 2002). During the past 4 years

No abstract

No abstract

Summary:Purpose: Psychological interventions in the treatment of epilepsy have been developed and evaluated for many years but the amount of research has hardly made an impact on how epilepsy is treated. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a psychological treatment program consisting of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) together with some behavioral seizure control technology shown to be successful in earlier research.Methods: The method consisted of a randomized controlled trial group design with repeated measures (n = 27). All participants had an EEG verified epilepsy diagnosis with drug refractory seizures. Participants were randomized into one of two conditions, ACT or supportive therapy (ST). Therapeutic effects were measured by examining changes in quality of life (SWLS and WHOQOL) and seizure index (frequency × duration). Both treatment conditions consisted of only nine hours of professional therapy distributed in two individual and two group sessions during a four-week period.Results: The results showed significant effects over all of the dependent variables for the ACT group as compared to the ST group at six-and twelve-month follow-ups.Conclusions: The results from this study suggest that a short-term psychotherapy program combined with anticonvulsant drugs may help to prevent the long-term disability that occurs from drug refractory seizures.

The present study examined the mediators of change accounting for outcomes of a previously published study on acceptance and commitment therapy for the self-management of epilepsy and its life restricting impact. Conducted with 27 poor South Africans, a 9-h ACT protocol that included seizure management methods was shown to greatly reduce epileptic seizures and to increase quality of life over the next year as compared to an attention placebo control. A series of bootstrapped non-parametric multiple mediator tests showed that pre to follow-up changes in: seizures, quality of life, and well-being outcomes were mediated to a degree by ACT process measures of epilepsy-related acceptance or defusion, values attainment, persistence in the face of barriers, or their combination. The results of this study contribute to the understanding of the contextual conditioning mechanisms at work for those suffering from epilepsy and may show that helping people live vital lives may also help to reduce seizures.

The current article presents and evaluates an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) approach for obesity-related psychological struggles post-bariatric surgery. Some patients who have undergone bariatric surgery report loss of control over eating and distress concerning body figure and shape, which can affect other outcomes such as weight loss and quality of life post surgery. A recent randomized trial (n = 39) evaluating a 6-week treatment package of ACT following bariatric surgery found large and significant effects as compared with treatment as usual (TAU) on eating disordered behaviours, body dissatisfaction, psychological flexibility and quality of life. Though effects were found, questions remain regarding maintenance of outcomes and the process changes related to outcomes. The present study examines both the maintenance of behavioural change at a 6-month follow-up for the original study and the processes that may be involved in the outcomes. ACT led to gains in quality of life (es = 0.88) and body dissatisfaction (es = 0.77), as compared with TAU at follow-up. Both groups improved in eating disordered behaviours (ACT; es = 0.86 and TAU; es = 0.55). A series of multiple mediator tests supported the role of enhanced psychological flexibility in the changes seen in body dissatisfaction, eating disordered behaviour and quality of life. This study provides preliminary support for the ACT treatment model in terms of optimizing bariatric surgery outcomes.

No abstract

A manual-based self-help intervention with weekly therapist support in an ACT format adds value to the treatment repertoire for persons suffering with chronic pain.