Year: 2016
Type: article
Study designs: Randomized Controlled Trial, Clinical Trial
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in psychosis has been reported but not for medication-resistant psychosis. AIMS: To test the efficacy of ACT in a sample of community-residing patients with persisting psychotic symptoms. (Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12608000210370.) METHOD: The primary outcome was overall mental state at post-therapy (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale - total); secondary outcomes were psychotic symptom dimensions and functioning. In total, 96 patients were randomised to ACT (n = 49) or befriending (n = 47). Symptom, functioning and process measures were administered at baseline, post-therapy and 6 months later. RESULTS: There was no group difference on overall mental state. In secondary analyses the ACT group showed greater improvement in positive symptoms and hallucination distress at follow-up: Cohen's d = 0.52 (95% CI 0.07-0.98) and 0.65 (95% CI 0.24-1.06), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Improvements reflected the treatment focus on positive symptoms; however, absence of process-measure changes suggests that the ACT intervention used did not manipulate targeted processes beyond befriending. Symptom-specific therapy refinements, improved investigation of process and attention to cognitive functioning and dose are warranted in future research.
Institutions: The Royal Melbourne Hospital, La Trobe University, Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research centre, Monash Health, Monash University, Swinburne University of Technology, University of Nevada, Reno, West Chester University, The University of Melbourne, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2563021028