Acceptance and values-based action in chronic pain: A three-year follow-up analysis of treatment effectiveness and process

Reference:

Vowles, K. E., McCracken, L. M. and O'Brien, J. Z., 2011. Acceptance and values-based action in chronic pain: A three-year follow-up analysis of treatment effectiveness and process. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 49 (11), pp. 748-755.

Official URL:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2011.08.002

Abstract

Recent developments in CBT emphasize the promotion of psychological flexibility to improve daily functioning for people with a wide range of health conditions. In particular, one of these approaches, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), has been studied for treatment of chronic pain. While trials have provided good support for treatment effectiveness through follow-ups of as long as seven months, the longer-term impact is not known. The present study of 108 participants with chronic pain examined outcomes three years after treatment completion and included analyses of two key treatment processes, acceptance of pain and values-based action. Overall, results indicated significant improvements in emotional and physical functioning relative to the start of treatment, as well as good maintenance of treatment gains relative to an earlier follow-up assessment. Effect size statistics were generally medium or large. At the three-year follow-up, 64.8% of patients had reliably improved in at least one key domain. Improvements in acceptance of pain and values-based action were associated with improvements in outcome measures. A "treatment responder" analysis, using variables collected at pre-treatment and shorter term follow-up, failed to identify any salient predictors of response. This study adds to the growing literature supporting the effectiveness of ACT for chronic pain and yields evidence for both statistical and clinical significance of improvements over a three-year period.

Details

Item Type	Articles
Creators	Vowles, K. E., McCracken, L. M. and O'Brien, J. Z.
DOI	10.1016/j.brat.2011.08.002
Uncontrolled Keywords	chronic pain, contextual cognitive-behavioral treatment, values, acceptance and commitment therapy, acceptance
Departments	Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences > Health
Research Centres	Centre for Pain Research
Publisher Statement	Vowles_BRT_2011_49_11_748.pdf: NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Behaviour Research and Therapy. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Behaviour Research and Therapy, vol 49, issue 11, 2011, DOI 10.1016/j.brat.2011.08.002; Vowles_BRT_2011_49_11_748.doc: NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Behaviour Research and Therapy. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Behaviour Research and Therapy, vol 49, issue 11, 2011, DOI 10.1016/j.brat.2011.08.002
Refereed	Yes
Status	Published
ID Code	27893

Find a copy

Export

Actions (login required)

View Item

Document Downloads

More statistics for this item...

Research