The effect of acceptance training on psychological and physical health outcomes in elders with chronic conditions.
This pilot trial investigated the short and long-term effects of Acceptance Training (ACT) intervention on acceptance, perceived health, functional status, anxiety, and depression in elders with chronic conditions living in retirement communities (RCs). The ACT intervention combined Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy with music, relaxation, and guided imagery during six weekly 2-hour sessions. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 16 African-American and 46 White elders across four data collection points in six randomly selected RCs using well-established measures of perceived health, functional status, anxiety, and depression, and a measure of acceptance of chronic conditions adapted from a previous measure of acceptance of diabetes. While changes were found in perceived health, functional status, anxiety, and depression, the most significant changes occurred in the elders' acceptance of chronic conditions immediately after the intervention (t = -2.62, p < .02), and these changes persisted for 6 and 12 weeks (t's = -2.74, -3.32, p's < .01), respectively. Although a 40% attrition rate reduced the sample size from 62 (N = 62) to 37 (N = 37), the significant increases in acceptance over time provide initial evidence for the fidelity of the ACT intervention.
Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106-4904, USA. pxm9@case.edu
Patricia E
PE
McDonald
Jaclene A
JA
Zauszniewski
Abir K
AK
Bekhet
Laura
L
DeHelian
Diana L
DL
Morris
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009820:Ohio; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D012064:Relaxation Therapy