The efficacy of a clustered group-based acceptance and commitment therapy for patients with chronic pain — a randomized controlled semi-crossover trial
Purpose The efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for chronic pain when provided as weekly sessions, is well documented. In scarcely populated areas, the traveling distance may be a barrier to weekly attendance. This study aimed to test the efficacy of a group-based ACT intervention, c...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Canadian Journal of Pain |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/24740527.2025.2515106 |
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| author | Lena Danielsson Svein Bergvik Are Hugo Pripp Gunnvald Kvarstein |
| author_facet | Lena Danielsson Svein Bergvik Are Hugo Pripp Gunnvald Kvarstein |
| author_sort | Lena Danielsson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose The efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for chronic pain when provided as weekly sessions, is well documented. In scarcely populated areas, the traveling distance may be a barrier to weekly attendance. This study aimed to test the efficacy of a group-based ACT intervention, clustered into three bouts of three consecutive days, separated by 4 weeks.Patients and methods A total of 122 patients, recruited from a university hospital pain clinic, were randomized to either a clustered ACT or Treatment As Usual (TAU) provided by the primary health care services. The study had a semi-crossover design. Group effects of ACT versus TAU were assessed 3 months after the start of ACT by using linear mixed models for repeated measures. Outcome measures included pain intensity, health-related quality of life, pain acceptance, catastrophizing, and psychological distress.Results A total of 81 patients completed the ACT intervention. No statistically significant effects were observed on the primary outcome variables, pain intensity and health-related quality of life. Significant group differences in favor of ACT were detected in pain acceptance (modified Cohen`s d = 0.32), including pain willingness (modified Cohen`s d = 0.30) and activity engagement (modified Cohen`s d = 0.23). The treatment effect remained at the 6- and 12-month follow-ups with a trend toward improvement.Conclusion A group-based ACT for chronic pain clustered into 3-day bouts may strengthen pain acceptance processes, including pain willingness and activity engagement. Reasons why the intervention did not affect pain intensity and health-related quality of life are discussed. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e7121df9a1d048ada4ee9b0ca0507f00 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2474-0527 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Canadian Journal of Pain |
| spelling | doaj-art-e7121df9a1d048ada4ee9b0ca0507f002025-08-20T03:16:01ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCanadian Journal of Pain2474-05272025-12-019110.1080/24740527.2025.2515106The efficacy of a clustered group-based acceptance and commitment therapy for patients with chronic pain — a randomized controlled semi-crossover trialLena Danielsson0Svein Bergvik1Are Hugo Pripp2Gunnvald Kvarstein3Department of Pain Management, Division of Surgical Medicine and Intensive Care, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, NorwayDepartment of Psychology, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, NorwayOslo Centre of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Research Support Services, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Pain Management, Division of Surgical Medicine and Intensive Care, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, NorwayPurpose The efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for chronic pain when provided as weekly sessions, is well documented. In scarcely populated areas, the traveling distance may be a barrier to weekly attendance. This study aimed to test the efficacy of a group-based ACT intervention, clustered into three bouts of three consecutive days, separated by 4 weeks.Patients and methods A total of 122 patients, recruited from a university hospital pain clinic, were randomized to either a clustered ACT or Treatment As Usual (TAU) provided by the primary health care services. The study had a semi-crossover design. Group effects of ACT versus TAU were assessed 3 months after the start of ACT by using linear mixed models for repeated measures. Outcome measures included pain intensity, health-related quality of life, pain acceptance, catastrophizing, and psychological distress.Results A total of 81 patients completed the ACT intervention. No statistically significant effects were observed on the primary outcome variables, pain intensity and health-related quality of life. Significant group differences in favor of ACT were detected in pain acceptance (modified Cohen`s d = 0.32), including pain willingness (modified Cohen`s d = 0.30) and activity engagement (modified Cohen`s d = 0.23). The treatment effect remained at the 6- and 12-month follow-ups with a trend toward improvement.Conclusion A group-based ACT for chronic pain clustered into 3-day bouts may strengthen pain acceptance processes, including pain willingness and activity engagement. Reasons why the intervention did not affect pain intensity and health-related quality of life are discussed.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/24740527.2025.2515106Acceptance and commitment therapychronic paingroup interventionclustered interventionrandomized control trialSemi-crossover design |
| spellingShingle | Lena Danielsson Svein Bergvik Are Hugo Pripp Gunnvald Kvarstein The efficacy of a clustered group-based acceptance and commitment therapy for patients with chronic pain — a randomized controlled semi-crossover trial Canadian Journal of Pain Acceptance and commitment therapy chronic pain group intervention clustered intervention randomized control trial Semi-crossover design |
| title | The efficacy of a clustered group-based acceptance and commitment therapy for patients with chronic pain — a randomized controlled semi-crossover trial |
| title_full | The efficacy of a clustered group-based acceptance and commitment therapy for patients with chronic pain — a randomized controlled semi-crossover trial |
| title_fullStr | The efficacy of a clustered group-based acceptance and commitment therapy for patients with chronic pain — a randomized controlled semi-crossover trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | The efficacy of a clustered group-based acceptance and commitment therapy for patients with chronic pain — a randomized controlled semi-crossover trial |
| title_short | The efficacy of a clustered group-based acceptance and commitment therapy for patients with chronic pain — a randomized controlled semi-crossover trial |
| title_sort | efficacy of a clustered group based acceptance and commitment therapy for patients with chronic pain a randomized controlled semi crossover trial |
| topic | Acceptance and commitment therapy chronic pain group intervention clustered intervention randomized control trial Semi-crossover design |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/24740527.2025.2515106 |
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