Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Depressed People With Spinal Cord Injuries

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · Jan 27, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how an 8-week online program called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can help people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) who are experiencing depression. ACT is a type of therapy that teaches people to accept their thoughts and feelings rather than fight against them, which can lead to improved mental health and a better quality of life. The researchers aim to find out if those who participate in the ACT program will show improvements in their depressive symptoms compared to those who do not receive the therapy during the study.

To be eligible for this trial, participants must be adults aged 18 and older, living in the community with a spinal cord injury, and experiencing at least mild depression. They should also have access to a computer or smartphone with the internet. Participants will either take part in the ACT sessions through videoconferencing, guided by a coach, or be placed in a wait-list control group where they continue their usual care. After the study, those in the wait-list group will also have the chance to receive the therapy. Throughout the trial, researchers will check in on participants' mental health at different times to see how they are doing.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • community-dwelling adults (aged 18 years or older) living with spinal cord injuries
• • having at least mild depressive symptoms as measured by the PHQ-9 (scores ≥ 5)
• • having a web-enabled device (e.g., a computer or a smartphone) with internet access
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • having cognitive deficits or language barriers that might impede study participation
• • having suicidal intent or attempts in the past 6 months
• • having psychiatric hospitalizations in the previous 2 years
• • having a diagnosis with bipolar disorder or psychotic disorders (e.g., schizophrenia)
• • having a prior experience with acceptance and commitment therapy

Trial Officials