University of Twente Student Theses

Gerandomiseerde, gecontroleerde studie naar het effect van Acceptance and Commitment Therapy & Mindfulness op depressieve klachten : preventieve zelfhulpcursus "Voluit leven"

Nijhuis, Carlijn (2010) Gerandomiseerde, gecontroleerde studie naar het effect van Acceptance and Commitment Therapy & Mindfulness op depressieve klachten : preventieve zelfhulpcursus "Voluit leven".

PDF
462kB

Abstract:	In the Netherlands 16 percent of the adult population suffers from subclinical depressive complaints. The impact of these complaints on well-being and psychosocial functioning are enormous. To prevent that subclinical depressive complaints develop into a subclinical depressive disorder, indicated prevention is of great importance. In this randomized, controlled trial the effectiveness of the preventive self-help intervention “Living to the fullest” is reviewed. “Living to the fullest” is based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). This new form of behavior therapy is a positive manner to handle mental suffering and tries to increase psychological flexibility and Mindfulness skills. The expectation is that “Living to the fullest” results in a decrease of depressive complaints and increase of psychological flexibility and Mindfulness. The degree of e-mail support, at this preventive self-help intervention, is taken along in this study. 376 participants have been randomly divided into 3 different conditions: “Living to the fullest” with intensive e-mail support, “Living to the fullest” with process e-mail support and a waiting list. “Living to the fullest” is a nine weeks lasting self-help course in the form of bibliotherapy. The e-mail support is given by psychologists in training, supported by a healthcare psychologist. The process e-mail support follows the process which the participant is going through and the intensive e-mail support also discusses the contents of ACT and Mindfulness. On the pre- and posttest score’s on depression, psychological flexibility and Mindfulness were taken. On both process- and intensive condition were found significant decreases in depressive complaints. The chance for scoring < 16 on the CES-D is increasingly more in both experimental conditions. The process- and intensive condition show also a significant increase on psychological flexibility and on Mindfulness. No significant differences were found between the degree of process- and intensive support. This study shows that indicated prevention, in the form of bibliotherapy, based on ACT, is an effective method for a decrease of depressive complaints and for an increase of psychological flexibility and Mindfulness. This study shows that a more intensive form of support does not ensure more effect in the decrease of depressive complaints.
Item Type:	Essay (Master)
Faculty:	BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:	77 psychology
Programme:	Psychology MSc (66604)
Link to this item:	https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/60478
Export this item as:	BibTeX EndNote HTML Citation Reference Manager

Show download statistics for this publication

Repository Staff Only: item control page