A Controlled Pilot Evaluation of Acceptance and Commitment Training for Intellectual Disability Staff

Abstract

The present study pilot tested a mindfulness and acceptance-based work stress reduction intervention for intellectual disability staff. The intervention combined Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) with instruction in applied behavior analysis. This combined intervention was compared to a control condition consisting of applied behavior analysis training only. Considering both distressed and nondistressed participants, between-group differences were observed only for participants who reported that they had been consistently applying the techniques they had learned. In addition, ACT group participants with higher levels of psychological distress at pretest showed greater reductions in psychological distress from pretest to follow-up when compared to their control group counterparts. A concurrent decrease in the believability of burnout-related thoughts was observed in the ACT group from pretest to follow-up, relative to the control group. These results support and extend previous research on ACT interventions for intellectual disability staff.