Evaluation of a program for training psychologists in an acceptance and commitment therapy resilience intervention for people with multiple sclerosis: a single-arm longitudinal design with a nested qualitative study.

This single-arm longitudinal study evaluated the effectiveness of a program for training psychologists in delivering an acceptance and commitment therapy-based program (REsilience and Activities for every DaY; READY) for people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). The training encompassed three phases: (1) training workshop; (2) READY participation; (3) READY delivery to PwMS. Self-report data were collected immediately before the workshop, before and after participation in READY, and at 3- and 15-month follow-ups. Forty psychologists successfully completed the training. The training was effective in fostering the acquisition of knowledge and skills for effective delivery of READY to PwMS. Participants improved over the course of training in resilience, positive affect, wellbeing, psychological flexibility, and associated processes. These improvements peaked during the participation in READY phase and continued to accrue at a slower rate three months later. Psychological flexibility mediated the improvements in resilience, positive affect, and wellbeing. Qualitative data confirmed the personal, professional, and multiple sclerosis (MS) psychologist community level positive training impacts. The training fostered positive professional and personal development in trainees and consolidated the integration of READY into a frontline service for PwMS. To date, more than 50 READY groups for PwMS have been conducted in Italy.Implications for rehabilitationTraining psychologists in delivering an acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)-based resilience intervention for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with positive personal and professional impacts for the trainees.The training program strengthened the sense of community among members of the professional network who attended as trainees.In ACT training, psychological flexibility plays a key role in improving resilience, positive affect, and wellbeing in trainees, and is therefore an important intervention target.ACT training for practitioners fosters the integration of ACT-based interventions into frontline services.