Investigating the impact of acceptance and commitment therapy for mental healthcare professionals: the effect on patients´ self-stigmatization, a pilot study
BackgroundA significant proportion of mental health care professionals (MHCPs) hold stigmatizing attitudes about their patients. When patients perceive and internalize these beliefs, self-stigmatization can increase. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) may decrease stigmatizing attitudes by chan...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-01-01
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| author | Kim L. Helmus Kim L. Helmus Kim L. Helmus Marilon van Doorn Marilon van Doorn Mariken B. de Koning Mariken B. de Koning Mariken B. de Koning Inez Myin-Germeys Frederike N. Schirmbeck Frederike N. Schirmbeck Therese A. M. J. van Amelsvoort Dorien H. Nieman Dorien H. Nieman Monique W. M. Jaspers Monique W. M. Jaspers Arne Popma Arne Popma Lieuwe de Haan Lieuwe de Haan |
| author_facet | Kim L. Helmus Kim L. Helmus Kim L. Helmus Marilon van Doorn Marilon van Doorn Mariken B. de Koning Mariken B. de Koning Mariken B. de Koning Inez Myin-Germeys Frederike N. Schirmbeck Frederike N. Schirmbeck Therese A. M. J. van Amelsvoort Dorien H. Nieman Dorien H. Nieman Monique W. M. Jaspers Monique W. M. Jaspers Arne Popma Arne Popma Lieuwe de Haan Lieuwe de Haan |
| author_sort | Kim L. Helmus |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundA significant proportion of mental health care professionals (MHCPs) hold stigmatizing attitudes about their patients. When patients perceive and internalize these beliefs, self-stigmatization can increase. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) may decrease stigmatizing attitudes by changing the ‘us’ versus ‘them’ thinking into continuum beliefs. In the present study MHCPs were given an ACT-based training, aiming to decrease stigmatization, hypothesizing that self-stigmatization of their patients will subsequently decrease.MethodsAn RCT with a 2 (pre-test/post-test) x 2 (no training/training) design was conducted. A total of 41 MHCPs participated, 20 were randomized to the experimental and 21 to the control condition respectively. The MHCPs in the experimental condition received an ACT-based training, MHCPs in the control condition received no training. From every MHCP, one of their patients participated in the pre- and post-measurement. As the primary outcome, patients’ awareness, agreement, application and hurt-self, was measured using the Self Stigma of Mental Illness Scale - Short Form (SSMIS-SF), before and after the MHCPs’ ACT-based training.ResultsSignificant group x time interaction effects were found for ‘application’ (internalization of mental illness stereotypes) in patients after the ACT-based training of their MHCP: F (1,39) = 9.33, p < 0.01, ηp2 = .85. On the contrary, no effect was found on the subscales ‘awareness’, ‘agreement’ and ‘hurt-self’.ConclusionPreliminary results suggest that a brief ACT training for MHCP might heighten their awareness and contribute to reduction of their stigmatizing attitudes and behavior, leading to less application of self-stigmatizing beliefs in their patients. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b18406a1c7354c8fa5ccc389526552ae |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-b18406a1c7354c8fa5ccc389526552ae2025-01-07T09:37:24ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402025-01-011510.3389/fpsyt.2024.13909491390949Investigating the impact of acceptance and commitment therapy for mental healthcare professionals: the effect on patients´ self-stigmatization, a pilot studyKim L. Helmus0Kim L. Helmus1Kim L. Helmus2Marilon van Doorn3Marilon van Doorn4Mariken B. de Koning5Mariken B. de Koning6Mariken B. de Koning7Inez Myin-Germeys8Frederike N. Schirmbeck9Frederike N. Schirmbeck10Therese A. M. J. van Amelsvoort11Dorien H. Nieman12Dorien H. Nieman13Monique W. M. Jaspers14Monique W. M. Jaspers15Arne Popma16Arne Popma17Lieuwe de Haan18Lieuwe de Haan19Research Mental Health, Amsterdam Medical Centre, Amsterdam, NetherlandsNeurology and Psychiatry Department, Amsterdam Universitair Medisch Centrum, Amsterdam, NetherlandsSevere Mental Health Care Department (Mentrum), Arkin, Amsterdam, NetherlandsResearch Mental Health, Amsterdam Medical Centre, Amsterdam, NetherlandsNeurology and Psychiatry Department, Amsterdam Universitair Medisch Centrum, Amsterdam, NetherlandsNeurology and Psychiatry Department, Amsterdam Universitair Medisch Centrum, Amsterdam, NetherlandsSevere Mental Health Care Department (Mentrum), Arkin, Amsterdam, NetherlandsResearch Department, Arkin, Amsterdam, NetherlandsFaculty of Medicine, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kortrijk, BelgiumResearch Mental Health, Amsterdam Medical Centre, Amsterdam, NetherlandsNeurology and Psychiatry Department, Amsterdam Universitair Medisch Centrum, Amsterdam, NetherlandsFaculty Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, NetherlandsResearch Mental Health, Amsterdam Medical Centre, Amsterdam, NetherlandsNeurology and Psychiatry Department, Amsterdam Universitair Medisch Centrum, Amsterdam, NetherlandsResearch Mental Health, Amsterdam Medical Centre, Amsterdam, NetherlandsDepartment of Medical Informatics, Amsterdam Public Health Institute, Amsterdam, NetherlandsResearch Mental Health, Amsterdam Medical Centre, Amsterdam, NetherlandsNeurology and Psychiatry Department, Amsterdam Universitair Medisch Centrum, Amsterdam, NetherlandsResearch Mental Health, Amsterdam Medical Centre, Amsterdam, NetherlandsNeurology and Psychiatry Department, Amsterdam Universitair Medisch Centrum, Amsterdam, NetherlandsBackgroundA significant proportion of mental health care professionals (MHCPs) hold stigmatizing attitudes about their patients. When patients perceive and internalize these beliefs, self-stigmatization can increase. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) may decrease stigmatizing attitudes by changing the ‘us’ versus ‘them’ thinking into continuum beliefs. In the present study MHCPs were given an ACT-based training, aiming to decrease stigmatization, hypothesizing that self-stigmatization of their patients will subsequently decrease.MethodsAn RCT with a 2 (pre-test/post-test) x 2 (no training/training) design was conducted. A total of 41 MHCPs participated, 20 were randomized to the experimental and 21 to the control condition respectively. The MHCPs in the experimental condition received an ACT-based training, MHCPs in the control condition received no training. From every MHCP, one of their patients participated in the pre- and post-measurement. As the primary outcome, patients’ awareness, agreement, application and hurt-self, was measured using the Self Stigma of Mental Illness Scale - Short Form (SSMIS-SF), before and after the MHCPs’ ACT-based training.ResultsSignificant group x time interaction effects were found for ‘application’ (internalization of mental illness stereotypes) in patients after the ACT-based training of their MHCP: F (1,39) = 9.33, p < 0.01, ηp2 = .85. On the contrary, no effect was found on the subscales ‘awareness’, ‘agreement’ and ‘hurt-self’.ConclusionPreliminary results suggest that a brief ACT training for MHCP might heighten their awareness and contribute to reduction of their stigmatizing attitudes and behavior, leading to less application of self-stigmatizing beliefs in their patients.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1390949/fullself-stigmatizationacceptance and commitment therapy (act)mental healthcareprofessionalsstigma & awareness |
| spellingShingle | Kim L. Helmus Kim L. Helmus Kim L. Helmus Marilon van Doorn Marilon van Doorn Mariken B. de Koning Mariken B. de Koning Mariken B. de Koning Inez Myin-Germeys Frederike N. Schirmbeck Frederike N. Schirmbeck Therese A. M. J. van Amelsvoort Dorien H. Nieman Dorien H. Nieman Monique W. M. Jaspers Monique W. M. Jaspers Arne Popma Arne Popma Lieuwe de Haan Lieuwe de Haan Investigating the impact of acceptance and commitment therapy for mental healthcare professionals: the effect on patients´ self-stigmatization, a pilot study Frontiers in Psychiatry self-stigmatization acceptance and commitment therapy (act) mental healthcare professionals stigma & awareness |
| title | Investigating the impact of acceptance and commitment therapy for mental healthcare professionals: the effect on patients´ self-stigmatization, a pilot study |
| title_full | Investigating the impact of acceptance and commitment therapy for mental healthcare professionals: the effect on patients´ self-stigmatization, a pilot study |
| title_fullStr | Investigating the impact of acceptance and commitment therapy for mental healthcare professionals: the effect on patients´ self-stigmatization, a pilot study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating the impact of acceptance and commitment therapy for mental healthcare professionals: the effect on patients´ self-stigmatization, a pilot study |
| title_short | Investigating the impact of acceptance and commitment therapy for mental healthcare professionals: the effect on patients´ self-stigmatization, a pilot study |
| title_sort | investigating the impact of acceptance and commitment therapy for mental healthcare professionals the effect on patients´ self stigmatization a pilot study |
| topic | self-stigmatization acceptance and commitment therapy (act) mental healthcare professionals stigma & awareness |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1390949/full |
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