A Two-Day Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Workshop Increases Presence and Work Functioning in Healthcare...

Area of Science:

• Mental Health Interventions
• Healthcare Professional Development
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Healthcare workers' work presence and productivity are crucial for effective patient care.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a mindfulness-based intervention.
• The impact of ACT workshops on healthcare professionals in routine hospital settings requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of a two-day ACT workshop on healthcare workers' productivity and work presence.
• To assess the influence of ACT on treatment efficacy in patients treated by participating healthcare workers.

Main Methods:

• A controlled naturalistic study involving healthcare workers (nurses, doctors, therapists) from inpatient depression wards.
• Half of the participants attended a two-day ACT workshop; the other half served as a control group.
• Outcomes were measured three months post-intervention, assessing both healthcare workers and their patients.

Main Results:

• Healthcare workers who attended the ACT workshop demonstrated significantly higher patient treatment efficacy, measured by Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS) change.
• Participants in the ACT workshop showed increased work presence compared to pre-intervention levels and the control group.
• A cost analysis revealed a tenfold return on investment due to increased work presence, indicating the economic benefits of ACT workshops.

Conclusions:

• ACT interventions effectively motivate healthcare workers, leading to improved patient treatment quality.
• This study is the first to demonstrate that an ACT workshop for healthcare workers can positively impact patient HoNOS outcomes.
• ACT workshops represent a valuable investment for healthcare organizations, enhancing both staff well-being and patient care effectiveness.