A Pilot Study of the Effectiveness and Feasibility of a Brief, Online, and Self-Guided Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Intervention for Intellectual and Developmental Disability Support Staff

The present research pilots a brief, online, and self-guided adaptation of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention for intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) support staff to reduce burnout and psychological distress and increase psychological flexibility and work performance. A randomized waitlist control trial was implemented with an intervention group (n=5) and waitlist control group (n=11). Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II), the Comprehensive Assessment of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Processes (CompACT), the Maslach Burnout Inventory – Human Service Version (MBI-HS), the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire (IWPQ), and a follow-up feasibility questionnaire. Independent t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests indicated that the intervention significantly reduced burnout and increased psychological flexibility between-groups and within the waitlist group only. The findings demonstrate preliminary evidence for implementing self-guided and online-based interventions for IDD support staff; and present feasible future directions in enhancing workplace mental health and well-being.

Name thesis:degree_name

MA

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Education

Grantor dc:publisher

The University of Western Ontario

Year dc:date.issued

2022

Author dc:creator

• Axenova, Kristina

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Albert Malkin

• Acceptance and commitment therapy
• Psychological flexibility
• Burnout
• Psychological distress
• Work performance
• Intellectual and developmental disability staff

Language dc:language.iso

en_ca

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/32359

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uwo.scholaris.ca:20.500.14721/32359