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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Psychological Adjustment after Traumatic Brain Injury: Reporting the Protocol for a Randomised Controlled Trial

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 January 2013

Diane L. Whiting ,
Grahame K. Simpson ,
Hamish J. McLeod ,
Frank P. Deane  and
Joseph Ciarrochi
Diane L. Whiting*
Affiliation:
Liverpool Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit, Liverpool Hospital, Sydney, Australia School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Australia
Grahame K. Simpson
Affiliation:
Liverpool Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit, Liverpool Hospital, Sydney, Australia Rehabilitation Studies Unit, University of Sydney, Australia
Hamish J. McLeod
Affiliation:
Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Frank P. Deane
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Australia
Joseph Ciarrochi
Affiliation:
School of Social Sciences and Psychology, University of Western Sydney, Australia
*
Address for correspondence: Diane Whiting, Senior Clinical Psychologist, Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit, Liverpool Hospital. Locked Bag 7103, Liverpool BC NSW 1871, Australia. E-mail: diane.whiting@sswahs.nsw.gov.au
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Abstract

Following a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) there is a complex presentation of psychological symptoms which may impact on recovery. Validated treatments addressing these symptoms for this group of people are limited. This article reports on the protocol for a single-centre, two-armed, Phase II Randomised Control Trial (RCT) to address the adjustment process following a severe TBI. Participants will be recruited from Liverpool Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit and randomly allocated to one of two groups, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) or an active control (Befriending). The active treatment group utilises the six core processes of ACT with the intention of increasing participation and psychological flexibility and reducing psychological distress. A number of primary and secondary outcome measures, administered at assessment, post-treatment and 1-month follow-up, will be used to assess clinical outcomes. The publication of the protocol before the trial results are available addresses fidelity criterion (intervention design) for RCTs. This ensures transparency in the RCT and that it meets the guidelines according to the CONSORT statement. The protocol has also been registered on the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12610000851066.

Keywords

Acceptance and Commitment Therapytraumatic brain injurypsychological distressrandomised controlled trialparticipation
Type
Controlled Trials Forum
Information
Brain Impairment , Volume 13 , Issue 3 , December 2012 , pp. 360 - 376
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2013

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