Authors (including presenting author) :
Ting KT(1), Wong WS(1), Lau KM(1), Tong KKA(1)
Affiliation :
(1) Clinical Psychology Department, United Christian Hospital
Introduction :
The demand for psychological services in Kowloon East Cluster (KEC) is rapidly increasing. Traditional individual psychological interventions may struggle to meet this demand effectively. Developing group interventions might be a viable solution to address the growing demand for services. While Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has robust evidence supporting its efficacy, it is primarily disorder-specific and may not address the diverse needs of service users in a public setting. Thus, there is an urgent need for more innovative group interventions. Psychological Flexibility (PF), which involves fully engaging with the present moment and modifying one’s behaviors to align with one’s values based on the situation, has been proven to be a crucial component of mental health. PF can be enhanced through Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which is a transdiagnostic approach, focusing not only on pathology but also on living a value-driven life. This project aims at evaluating the feasibility and effectiveness of a 7-session ACT group intervention designed to promote PF among service users.
Objectives :
To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a 7-session ACT group intervention in KEC
Methodology :
Participants were recruited from the KEC Clinical Psychology Department, with referrals made by their case clinical psychologists. They completed self-rated questionnaires before and after the group intervention, and attendance was recorded. The group was conducted weekly by clinical psychologists trained in ACT, with assistance from a psychology assistant. At the end of the intervention, participants filled out a service evaluation form assessing their satisfaction levels and qualitative feedback was collected. Feasibility was measured through attendance and satisfaction levels. A pre-post comparison of outcome measures on depression, anxiety, stress, well-being, and PF was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness.
Result & Outcome :
A total of three groups were conducted since March 2023 and 28 participants (25 females; 89.3%) were recruited. All of them were recruited from the outpatient adult services. Majority of the participants (90.0%) had Adjustment Disorder, Anxiety or Depression. Out of 28 participants, 19 (67.9%) attended four or more sessions, and 18 (64.3%) returned outcome measures and service evaluations. Participants rated the group highly and 17 (95%) expressing a willingness to recommend the group to other service users. Participants reported significant improvements in their depression, stress, well-being and PF with medium effect size. They identified "Being present," "Acceptance," and "Value-driven action" as the most beneficial aspects of this group intervention. In conclusion, this ACT group demonstrated its feasibility in public health care setting and showed considerable potential in addressing the growing service needs in the public health care sector.
