Telephone-supported Acceptance and Commitment Bibliotherapy for People with Multiple Sclerosis and Psychological Distress: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial

Publication date: Available online 17 July 2018Source: Journal of Contextual Behavioral ScienceAuthor(s): Barnaby Proctor, Nima Moghaddam, Nikos Evangelou, Roshan das NairAbstractA few randomised controlled trials (RCTs) show that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is beneficial for people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), but the effectiveness of telephone-supported self-help ACT for people with MS with low mood has not been evaluated. We assessed the feasibility of conducting an RCT of an intervention (8 weekly telephone-calls plus a self-help ACT book) compared to treatment-as-usual. Participants’ mood, quality of life, and impact of MS were assessed at baseline and 12 weeks post-randomisation. Some were interviewed to assess feasibility and acceptability. Twenty-seven participants were randomised. Most participants found the trial procedures acceptable. We found a large and significant effect at follow-up, favouring the intervention in reducing anxiety (d=0.84, 95% CI=0.02–1.66). However, the high attrition rate (33% overall) meant that the trial in its current format was not feasible. The intervention needs to be revised following user-testing and feedback before it can be put to a full trial.
Source: Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research