Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Patients with Psychosis Being Monitored at a Community Mental Health Center: A Six-Month Follow-up Study

Objective: This study aimed to examine the long-term efficacy of a short-term acceptance and commitment therapy-based (ACT) group psychotherapy on patients with psychosis in a community mental health center (CMHC). Methods: A total of 6 group-based ACT sessions were applied to 16 people diagnosed with psychotic disorders who met the inclusion criteria. They were evaluated at the start of, end of, and 6 months after the therapy using the acceptance and action questionnaire, the psychotic symptom rating scales, and the quality-of-life scale. Results: At the end of the 6 session group therapy and 6-month follow-up, a statistically significant decrease was found in patients' psychotic symptoms and experiential avoidance as well as a statistically significant increase in their quality of life (P <.001). Conclusion: According to the results, ACT can be said to be an effective method for managing psychotic symptoms, reducing experiential avoidance, and improving the quality of life in patients diagnosed with psychotic disorders in CMHCs.