Online ACT intervention for fibromyalgia: An exploratory study of feasibility and preliminary effectiveness with smartphone-delivered experiential sampling assessment

Introduction: Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is an effective treatment for chronic pain conditions. ACT seeks to produce clinical change by enhancing Psychological Flexibility (PF). This exploratory (feasibility and preliminary effectiveness) study presents a pilot application of an online...

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Main Authors: Pablo de la Coba, Miguel Rodríguez-Valverde, Mónica Hernández-López
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2022-09-01
Series:Internet Interventions
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782922000689
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author Pablo de la Coba
Miguel Rodríguez-Valverde
Mónica Hernández-López
author_facet Pablo de la Coba
Miguel Rodríguez-Valverde
Mónica Hernández-López
author_sort Pablo de la Coba
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is an effective treatment for chronic pain conditions. ACT seeks to produce clinical change by enhancing Psychological Flexibility (PF). This exploratory (feasibility and preliminary effectiveness) study presents a pilot application of an online ACT group intervention for fibromyalgia (FM) with an extensive Experiential Sampling (ES) assessment of outcome and process variables via smartphone. Method: 5-weekly ACT online group sessions were applied to 9 female FM patients. Questionnaire-based assessments of several clinical outcomes and PF processes were conducted pre- and post-intervention, and at 6-month follow-up. Extensive (6 weeks pre- and 6 weeks post-intervention) smartphone-delivered ES was implemented to gather process and outcome data in the patients' usual contexts. Clinically significant change was evaluated both at the group level and individually. Results: This treatment format appears to be feasible and acceptable to participants, with good adoption and completion rates (75 %) and excellent rates of treatment completion and clinical adherence (100 %). Participants showed significant reductions in affective pain, distress and biopsychosocial impact of FM both post-intervention and at 6-month follow-up (as measured with questionnaires), as well as significant improvements in satisfaction with actions and emotional discomfort (as measured through ES). Multilevel regression analyses indicated that PF-related processes assessed through ES had a significant impact on clinical outcomes and predicted the impact of FM at the 6-month follow-up. Conclusions: A brief online group ACT intervention for FM was both feasible and acceptable to participants. Also, there was preliminary evidence of effectiveness in enhancing pain-related PF and producing clinical benefits in FM.
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spelling doaj.art-4e070a53ed6c4c56bc63e8bdb317f39a2022-12-22T02:18:43ZengElsevierInternet Interventions2214-78292022-09-0129100561Online ACT intervention for fibromyalgia: An exploratory study of feasibility and preliminary effectiveness with smartphone-delivered experiential sampling assessmentPablo de la Coba0Miguel Rodríguez-Valverde1Mónica Hernández-López2Corresponding author at: Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de Jaén, 23071 Jaén, Spain.; Department of Psychology, University of Jaén, SpainDepartment of Psychology, University of Jaén, SpainDepartment of Psychology, University of Jaén, SpainIntroduction: Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is an effective treatment for chronic pain conditions. ACT seeks to produce clinical change by enhancing Psychological Flexibility (PF). This exploratory (feasibility and preliminary effectiveness) study presents a pilot application of an online ACT group intervention for fibromyalgia (FM) with an extensive Experiential Sampling (ES) assessment of outcome and process variables via smartphone. Method: 5-weekly ACT online group sessions were applied to 9 female FM patients. Questionnaire-based assessments of several clinical outcomes and PF processes were conducted pre- and post-intervention, and at 6-month follow-up. Extensive (6 weeks pre- and 6 weeks post-intervention) smartphone-delivered ES was implemented to gather process and outcome data in the patients' usual contexts. Clinically significant change was evaluated both at the group level and individually. Results: This treatment format appears to be feasible and acceptable to participants, with good adoption and completion rates (75 %) and excellent rates of treatment completion and clinical adherence (100 %). Participants showed significant reductions in affective pain, distress and biopsychosocial impact of FM both post-intervention and at 6-month follow-up (as measured with questionnaires), as well as significant improvements in satisfaction with actions and emotional discomfort (as measured through ES). Multilevel regression analyses indicated that PF-related processes assessed through ES had a significant impact on clinical outcomes and predicted the impact of FM at the 6-month follow-up. Conclusions: A brief online group ACT intervention for FM was both feasible and acceptable to participants. Also, there was preliminary evidence of effectiveness in enhancing pain-related PF and producing clinical benefits in FM.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782922000689Acceptance and commitment therapyChronic painExperiential samplingFibromyalgiaProcesses of changePsychological flexibility
spellingShingle Pablo de la Coba
Miguel Rodríguez-Valverde
Mónica Hernández-López
Online ACT intervention for fibromyalgia: An exploratory study of feasibility and preliminary effectiveness with smartphone-delivered experiential sampling assessment
Internet Interventions
Acceptance and commitment therapy
Chronic pain
Experiential sampling
Fibromyalgia
Processes of change
Psychological flexibility
title Online ACT intervention for fibromyalgia: An exploratory study of feasibility and preliminary effectiveness with smartphone-delivered experiential sampling assessment
title_full Online ACT intervention for fibromyalgia: An exploratory study of feasibility and preliminary effectiveness with smartphone-delivered experiential sampling assessment
title_fullStr Online ACT intervention for fibromyalgia: An exploratory study of feasibility and preliminary effectiveness with smartphone-delivered experiential sampling assessment
title_full_unstemmed Online ACT intervention for fibromyalgia: An exploratory study of feasibility and preliminary effectiveness with smartphone-delivered experiential sampling assessment
title_short Online ACT intervention for fibromyalgia: An exploratory study of feasibility and preliminary effectiveness with smartphone-delivered experiential sampling assessment
title_sort online act intervention for fibromyalgia an exploratory study of feasibility and preliminary effectiveness with smartphone delivered experiential sampling assessment
topic Acceptance and commitment therapy
Chronic pain
Experiential sampling
Fibromyalgia
Processes of change
Psychological flexibility
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782922000689
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AT monicahernandezlopez onlineactinterventionforfibromyalgiaanexploratorystudyoffeasibilityandpreliminaryeffectivenesswithsmartphonedeliveredexperientialsamplingassessment