Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Treating Depression among Patients with Advanced Cancer, in Nairobi Hospice, Kenya.
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Date
2024
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Daystar University, School of Applied Human Sciences
Abstract
Patients with advanced cancer experience a higher rate of depression compared to those at earlier stages. Despite the interventions employed in reducing depression among such patients, the problem of depression remains a serious concern. This study investigated the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in treating depression among patients with advanced cancer in Nairobi Hospice, Kenya. The study was informed by the relational frame theory (RFT) and psychoanalytic theory and used a quasi-experimental design. Purposive sampling was applied, and a sample comprising 60 patients with advanced cancer was selected. The 60 were assigned to two groups: treatment and control groups, each with 30 patients. Depression was measured using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), while psychological flexibility was assessed using the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire II (AAQ-II) in the intervention group only. A socio-demographic questionnaire was administered. The intervention consisted of five ACT sessions. The effectiveness of ACT on depression was analyzed using the two-factor ANOVA with repeated measures that account for both the between-participant and the within-participant effects. As per the study findings, there was a statistically significant reduction in depression scores over time among participants who received ACT compared to the control group; ACT significantly increased psychological flexibility within the intervention group; age, type of cancer, and education were found to be statistically significant in relation to depression; the trend of depression was highest among the age group 35-49 years for both groups; and the severity of depression in the experimental group decreased as we moved from baseline to endline for the experimental group while for the control group, the effect was the opposite during the same period. It is recommended that ACT, as a reliable alternative intervention, be used for managing depression in patients with advanced cancer.
Description
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in Clinical Psychology
Keywords
advanced cancer experience, rate of depression, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Citation
Ugwoegbu, E. U. (2024). Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Treating Depression among Patients with Advanced Cancer, in Nairobi Hospice, Kenya. Daystar University, School of Applied Human Sciences