The use of a Self-Help book based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: To improve General Well-being and Reduce Stress among Support Workers in Disability Sector

The randomized two group design (control and intervention group) study was used to evaluate the effectiveness of a self-help book based on ACT for support staff working in disability sector. 10 participants in the intervention group engaged with the book and did the exercises for a 7-week period while 12 participants waited. The researcher contacted the participants in the intervention group by telephone every week to discuss the respective section assigned for each week. 10 participants from the intervention group and 12 from the control group completed pre and post intervention measures for acceptance, mindfulness, quality of life, stress, thought suppression, values, general mental health and on thought control. Participants from the intervention group who read the book rated the usefulness of each section, answered if they were able to engage with the material and rated the difficulty level of the section. The questions at the end of each section helped to assess the comprehension of the content. Results of the group data showed that there was significant interaction for acceptance and depersonalization (a measure of burnout) for participants who completed intervention. Large effect sizes for interaction were seen for measures of stress and burnout while medium effect size was seen for quality of life and mindfulness. The current findings partially support the hypothesis that engaging with self-help book on ACT could improve general well-being of support staff working in disability sector. Previous studies have used ACT in form of workshop for support staff, results again suggest that a self-help book along with minimal guidance from therapist can help improve staff well-being and reduce stress