Pilot Study of ACT Self-help Workbook for Anxiety and Depression in Prisons
This study is testing a self-help workbook based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for people experiencing anxiety and/or depression in prison. ACT is a type of therapy that helps you change your behavior. The goal is to see if this workbook is practical, acceptable, and helpful in a prison setting. You would be assigned to either use the ACT workbook or do reflective journaling. Researchers will look at how many people complete the 8-week program and how it affects their anxiety and depression. To join, you need to be at least 18 years old, have a 6th-grade reading level, and experience moderate to severe anxiety or depression. You also cannot have active self-harm or suicidal thoughts, or be scheduled for transfer or release for at least three months. The study is currently unclear on its recruitment status and plans to enroll 96 participants.
- Study design
- This is an interventional study with an unspecified phase, aiming to enroll 96 participants. It compares an ACT self-help workbook to reflective journaling.
- What's involved
- You would be in the study for 13 weeks, completing an 8-week program. This involves pre-treatment, mid-treatment, and post-treatment assessments, plus a focus group.
- Compensation
- Not stated in the trial record.
- Follow-up
- Participants will have a final assessment 12 weeks after the workbook is distributed, which is after the 8-week program concludes.
AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.
Pilot Effectiveness Trial of an ACT Self-help Workbook Tailored Specifically for Prisons
At a glance
Conditions
Where it's being run
1 sites across 1 statesStudy leadership
- Michael Koenigs, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of Wisconsin, Madison
Who to contact
Opens a ready-to-send draft in your own email app — review before sending.
Do you actually qualify for this trial?
Add a private profile and we'll compare every criterion below against your situation — and tell you which ones are met, uncertain, or excluding.
Inclusion
Exclusion
What this trial measures
- Eligible participantsStudy duration, up to 1 year
Feasibility will be assessed by measuring eligibility - percentage of individuals who meet inclusion criteria versus percentage of individuals who are excluded.
- Participants who choose to participateStudy duration, up to 1 year
Feasibility will be assessed by measuring the percentage of eligible individuals who choose to participate in the study.
- Percentage of participants that complete all 8 weeksStudy duration, up to 1 year
Feasibility will be assessed by measuring the percentage of participants who complete all treatment activities
- Qualitative Summary of Reasons for AttritionStudy duration, up to 1 year
Feasibility will be assessed qualitatively by asking participants who leave the study, why they decided to stop. Responses will be coded for themes and summarized with participant counts.
- Number of Participants referred for Follow up careUp to 13 weeks
Safety will be measured through participant self-report suicidal or self-harm ideation, using the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). The C-SSRS is a questionnaire designed to assess the level of risk for self-harm. Any participant that indicates active suicidal ideation with intent to act or active suicidal ideation with a specific plan on the C-SSRS will be referred for follow up care.
- Participant SatisfactionUp to 13 weeks
Acceptability of the method will be assessed through Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8), which is an 8 item survey with potential scores of 8-32 with higher scores indicating greater satisfaction.
- Change in Mental Health: FlexibilityBaseline to 13 weeks
The Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory (MPFI) assesses the 12 dimensions of flexibility and inflexibility. Responses have point values from 1 to 6, where higher scores reflect higher levels of the dimension being assessed by each set of items.
- Change in Mental Health: Automatic ThoughtsBaseline to 13 weeks
The Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire lists are a variety of thoughts that pop into people's heads. Participants read each thought and indicate how frequently, if at all, the thought has occurred over the past week. 30 questions with a scale of 1-5, with 1 = not at all and 5 = all of the time. Higher scores indicate higher frequency of automatic thoughts.
- Change in BAI ScoreBaseline to 13 weeks
Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) is a 21-item self-reported questionnaire which measures the existence and severity of symptoms of anxiety. Each of the 21 items on BAI tool represents an anxiety symptom. A total score of 0 - 7 is interpreted as a "Minimal" level of anxiety; 8 - 15 as "Mild"; 16 - 25 as "Moderate", and 26 - 63 as "Severe".
- Change BDI-II ScoreBaseline to 13 weeks
Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) Scale is a 21-item self-reported questionnaire which measures the existence and severity of symptoms of depression. Each of the 21 items on BDI-II tool represents a depressive symptom. The symptoms are each scored on a 4-point Likert scale of 0 to 3 (0=symptom is absent; 3=symptom is severe). Scores for each symptom are added up to obtain the total scores for all 21 items. Total score ranges from 0-63; of which 0-8 is considered no depression, 0-13 is minimal depression, 14-19 is mild depression, 20-28 is moderate depression and 29-63 is severe depression.