The effectiveness of an ACT informed intervention for managing stress and improving therapist qualities in clinical psychology trainees.

OBJECTIVES Clinical psychology trainees (CPTs) are vulnerable to high stress, which can adversely affect their personal and professional functioning. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a group acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) informed stress management intervention for CPTs. DESIGN Outcome measures were work-related stress, distress, life satisfaction, counseling self-efficacy, self-compassion, and therapeutic alliance. A cohort-controlled design, where an experimental group (n = 28) was compared with a waitlist control group (n = 28), was utilized, with a 10-week follow-up. RESULTS Group comparisons showed statistically significant intervention effects for the main outcome measures, which were maintained at follow-up. Mediational analyses showed that changes on most outcomes were mediated by ACT mindfulness and acceptance processes. CONCLUSIONS Findings support the effectiveness of a group ACT program for CPTs regarding stress reduction and improving therapist qualities.