Effects of acceptance and commitment therapy on mothers of children with chronic illnesses

Abstract

Objective: To describe the effects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on experiential avoidance (EA) and perceived health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in mothers of children with chronic illnesses.

Materials and methods: A single-case, repeated-measures A-B-A experimental design was used. An ACT-based intervention was administered to six mothers of children with chronic illnesses. Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II) and the Pediatric Quality of Life Questionnaire (PedsQl) were administered. 

Results: In the Tau-U analysis, statistical significance (0.03) was identified in the decrease in experiential avoidance in baseline vs. treatment comparisons in three participants, and in mothers who presented a clinical baseline score of EE they showed a statistically significant score (0.04) when comparing baseline and follow-up. Statistical evidence was identified in the same participants in the increase in HRQoL of their children, when comparing baseline and treatment (0.03) and in the comparison baseline and follow-up (0.04).

Conclusions: Thit mothers showed a decrease in experiential avoidance and an increase in their children's perceived quality of life. This identifies the relevance of core processes for increasing psychological flexibility, which contributes to the management of chronic childhood illnesses and influences essential areas of children's lives.

Keywords: Chronic illness; Quality of life; Acceptance and commitment therapy.