TY - JOUR
T1 - Acceptance and commitment therapy for people with acquired brain injury
T2 - Rationale and description of the BrainACT treatment
AU - Rauwenhoff, Johanne C. C.
AU - Bol, Yvonne
AU - van Heugten, Caroline M.
AU - Batink, Tim
AU - Geusgens, Chantal A. V.
AU - van den Hout, Anja J. H. C.
AU - Smits, Peter
AU - Verwegen, Christianne R. T.
AU - Visser, Annemarie
AU - Peeters, Frenk
N1 - Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by ZonMW under Grant (project number 636310003). The funder had no role in the study design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation or writing of the manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2023.
PY - 2023/8
Y1 - 2023/8
N2 - Background: The treatment of anxiety and depressive symptoms following acquired brain injury is complex and more evidence-based treatment options are needed. We are currently evaluating the BrainACT intervention; acceptance and commitment therapy for people with acquired brain injury.Rationale: This paper describes the theoretical underpinning, the development and content of BrainACT. Acceptance and commitment therapy focuses on the acceptance of feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations and on living a valued life, without fighting against what is lost. Since the thoughts that people with acquired brain injury can experience are often realistic or appropriate given their situation, this may be a suitable approach.Theory into practice: Existing evidence-based protocols were adapted for the needs and potential cognitive deficits after brain injury. General alterations are the use of visual materials, summaries and repetition. Acceptance and commitment therapy-specific adaptions include the Bus of Life metaphor as a recurrent exercise, shorter mindfulness exercises, simplified explanations, a focus on experiential exercises and the monitoring of committed actions. The intervention consists of eight one-hour sessions with a psychologist, experienced in acceptance and commitment therapy and in working with people with acquired brain injury. The order of the sessions, metaphors and exercises can be tailored to the needs of the patients.Discussion: Currently, the effectiveness and feasibility of the intervention is evaluated in a randomised controlled trial. The BrainACT intervention is expected to be a feasible and effective intervention for people with anxiety or depressive symptoms following acquired brain injury.
AB - Background: The treatment of anxiety and depressive symptoms following acquired brain injury is complex and more evidence-based treatment options are needed. We are currently evaluating the BrainACT intervention; acceptance and commitment therapy for people with acquired brain injury.Rationale: This paper describes the theoretical underpinning, the development and content of BrainACT. Acceptance and commitment therapy focuses on the acceptance of feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations and on living a valued life, without fighting against what is lost. Since the thoughts that people with acquired brain injury can experience are often realistic or appropriate given their situation, this may be a suitable approach.Theory into practice: Existing evidence-based protocols were adapted for the needs and potential cognitive deficits after brain injury. General alterations are the use of visual materials, summaries and repetition. Acceptance and commitment therapy-specific adaptions include the Bus of Life metaphor as a recurrent exercise, shorter mindfulness exercises, simplified explanations, a focus on experiential exercises and the monitoring of committed actions. The intervention consists of eight one-hour sessions with a psychologist, experienced in acceptance and commitment therapy and in working with people with acquired brain injury. The order of the sessions, metaphors and exercises can be tailored to the needs of the patients.Discussion: Currently, the effectiveness and feasibility of the intervention is evaluated in a randomised controlled trial. The BrainACT intervention is expected to be a feasible and effective intervention for people with anxiety or depressive symptoms following acquired brain injury.
U2 - 10.1177/02692155231154124
DO - 10.1177/02692155231154124
M3 - Article
C2 - 36750988
SN - 0269-2155
VL - 37
SP - 1011
EP - 1025
JO - Clinical Rehabilitation
JF - Clinical Rehabilitation
IS - 8
ER -