Acceptance and commitment therapy in rehabilitation for chronic pain and fatigue: a qualitative interview study with patients

Abstract Purpose To shed a nuanced light on the experiences of taking part in a rehabilitation programme using acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for people living with persistent pain and fatigue. Materials and methods The ACT intervention, designed by the Pain Clinic of a University Hospital, consisted of six four-hour sessions, each for four groups of 6–8 participants, given over the course of four months. An interdisciplinary research team thematically analysed 13 post-programme individual interviews with people aged 21 to 54 with different symptoms and diagnoses using systematic text condensation. Results Participants reported that while illness had led to feelings of loneliness, loss and failure, participating in a safe and supportive group setting led to a nurturing sense of shared community, understanding and learning. Increased self-awareness, self-acceptance and self-compassion were valued outcomes of the programme. Most felt that they had acquired new tools, such as exercises, practices and altered ways of thinking. A few participants were uncomfortable with the sharing practices and felt that the programme brought few benefits for them. Conclusions The study indicates the value of a sense of community and experiencing illness as a shared human condition. Learning to see oneself as worthy of self-compassion, suggested in the literature as key to pain rehabilitation, was connected to group validation and ACT-specific sessions. Information, exercises and sharing practices could have been even better targeted and tailored to individual participants.