Evaluating an Online Acceptance and Commitment Training Program for Individuals with Chronic Health Conditions

Last updated: March 24, 2025
Sponsor: Utah State University
Overall Status: Completed

Phase

N/A

Condition

Depression

Treatment

ACT Guide for Chronic Health Conditions

Clinical Study ID

NCT06179264
IRB: #13890
  • Ages > 18
  • All Genders
  • Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Summary

Chronic health conditions (CHC) commonly share the challenge of impaired health-related quality of life, negatively impacting the lives of millions of people in the United States. Long term effects for living with a chronic health condition are likely to include poor self-management behaviors, which are related to avoidance of disease related thoughts and feelings (e.g., health anxiety) and can be addressed directly with psychosocial interventions. With the focus on fostering values driven and meaningful behavior while accepting thoughts and feelings, ACT may prove to be a particularly effective approach for individuals coping with the challenging symptoms and effects of having a chronic health condition. Previous web-based ACT interventions for CHCs have focused on building ACT skills for a narrow subset of CHCs (e.g., breast cancer, diabetes, tinnitus). While there is added benefit for a self-help program for populations with specific stressors or conditions, there is also a high prevalence of comorbidity in CHCs, shared challenges in illness management and coping, and clear evidence that ACT works effectively across CHCs to improve quality of life. Thus, our goal of this research project is to evaluate a new 6 session, online, self-guided ACT program for adults with chronic health conditions broadly to improve their quality of life and wellbeing through a randomized controlled trial. The specific aims are:

  1. To evaluate the feasibility of an initial prototype of ACT program for adults with CHC's as indicated by recruitment, retention, and adherence rates.

  2. To evaluate the acceptability as indicated by self-reported program satisfaction and qualitative feedback following the course completion.

  3. To identify ways to further refine the program based on participant self-reported satisfaction with sessions and open-ended text-based feedback.

  4. To test the efficacy of the program on improving quality of life among adults with CHC's.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria:

  • ≥ 18 years old

  • Currently living in the U.S.

  • Self-report having at least 1 chronic health condition (e.g., cardiovasculardisease, cancer, diabetes, chronic pain, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV, Parkinson'sdisease, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, chronic obstructive pulmonarydisease, multiple sclerosis)

  • Self-report having had the chronic health condition for ≥ 3 months

  • Can access the internet via computer, mobile phone, or tablet

  • Have an interest in using an online mental health intervention

Exclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

• Not fluent in reading English (at this point the online program can only be feasibly and competently delivered in English)

Study Design

Total Participants: 101
Treatment Group(s): 1
Primary Treatment: ACT Guide for Chronic Health Conditions
Phase:
Study Start date:
January 26, 2024
Estimated Completion Date:
September 17, 2024

Connect with a study center

  • Utah State University

    Logan, Utah 84322
    United States

    Site Not Available

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