Li Teng, Xin Wu, Huili Xu, Yun Wang, Tian Luo, Adan Fu
ACT was associated with improvements in psychological resilience, psychological flexibility, caregiving ability, and benefit finding among primary caregivers of ostomy patients. These findings suggest that ACT may be a useful supportive intervention for improving caregivers' psychological adaptation and caregiving capacity.
BACKGROUND: This study aims to investigate the effects of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) on enhancing psychological resilience, psychological flexibility, caregiving capacity, and benefit-finding among caregivers of ostomy patients.
METHODS: A total of 106 primary caregivers of ostomy patients were recruited from a tertiary hospital in Wuhan. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group in a 1:1 ratio using a computer-generated random sequence. Allocation was concealed using sequentially numbered, opaque, sealed envelopes prepared by a researcher not involved in recruitment or intervention delivery. The control group received standard nursing care, while the intervention group was provided with ACT in addition to standard care over a period of 12 weeks. The study utilized the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II), Family Caregiving Task Inventory (FCTI), and Benefit Finding Scale to assess the outcomes before and after the intervention in both groups.
RESULTS: Post-intervention analysis showed that the intervention group had significantly lower AAQ-II scores and FCTI scores compared with the control group (AAQ-II: 19.57 ± 7.78 vs 24.04 ± 8.39; FCTI: 7.75 ± 3.69 vs 12.57 ± 6.76; P < .05), indicating improved psychological flexibility and caregiving ability. In contrast, the intervention group demonstrated significantly higher psychological resilience and benefit-finding scores compared with the control group (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale: 24.94 ± 7.69 vs 20.89 ± 6.66; Benefit Finding Scale: 86.58 ± 7.47 vs 78.75 ± 8.12; P < .05).
CONCLUSION: ACT was associated with improvements in psychological resilience, psychological flexibility, caregiving ability, and benefit finding among primary caregivers of ostomy patients. These findings suggest that ACT may be a useful supportive intervention for improving caregivers' psychological adaptation and caregiving capacity.