The role of acceptance and commitment therapy in cardiovascular and diabetes healthcare: A scoping review

Authors

Amineh Rashidi, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Lisa Whitehead, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Lisa Newson
Felicity Astin
Paramjit Gill
Deirdre A. Lane
Gregory Y. H. Lip
Lis Neubeck
Chantal F. Ski
David R. Thompson
Helen Walthall
Ian D. Jones

Author Identifier

Amineh Rashidi

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7355-5216

Lisa Whitehead

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6395-0279

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Title

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Volume

18

Issue

15

Publisher

MDPI

School

School of Nursing and Midwifery

RAS ID

36615

Funders

National Institute for Health Research, Applied Research Collaborations West Midland

Comments

Rashidi, A., Whitehead, L., Newson, L., Astin, F., Gill, P., Lane, D. A., . . . Jones, I. D. (2021). The role of acceptance and commitment therapy in cardiovascular and diabetes healthcare: A scoping review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(15), article 8126. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18158126

Abstract

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is an adapted form of cognitive behavioural therapy. ACT focuses on how thinking affects behaviour and promotes psychological flexibility. The prevalence of psychological distress among people living with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and/or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is high, and ACT may offer an alternative treatment approach. This scoping review explored the use of ACT as an intervention to support adults living with CVD and/or T2DM. A systematic search of the literature resulted in the inclusion of 15 studies. Studies were reviewed using the Joanna Briggs Institute approach to conducting scoping reviews. Most studies (n = 13) related to people living with T2DM, and most (n = 10) used a pre-post design, four studies were randomised controlled trials, and one was a qualitative study. Eight studies reported an improvement in the outcome(s) assessed post-intervention, suggesting that ACT was an acceptable and valid intervention to support people living with CVD or T2DM. However, studies were underpowered and only limited studies involved people living with CVD. ACT was assessed as a valuable approach to improve a range of patient-reported outcomes for those living with CVD or T2DM, and further research involving robust study designs and larger cohorts are warranted.

DOI

10.3390/ijerph18158126

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.