ACT for Older Adults who Hear Voices (HSCED)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for older adults who hear voices: a hermeneutic single-case efficacy design (HSCED) series
IRAS ID
322722
Contact name
Danielle De Boos
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Nottingham
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
Hearing voices (often referred to as “auditory hallucinations”) is a common experience amongst the older adult population (those 65+ years of age) and can be associated with increased psychological distress. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a psychological therapy that aims to reduce distress of hearing voices by altering the relationship someone has with voices, and has been shown to improve distress levels for working age adults who hear voices. ACT also appears to be a suitable intervention for older adults distressed by hearing voices, however, there is currently no research that has examined this. Therefore, research is now needed to evaluate whether ACT can support older adults who experience distress from hearing voices.
This study will use a case study based research method, known as a Hermeneutic Single-Case Efficacy Design (HSCED) series. This method will involve 3 participants who will receive ACT for hearing voices. This will be delivered across twelve 90-minute sessions. Participants will be asked to complete questionnaires, assessing areas such as distress levels and quality of life, once before, once during, and twice after therapy. Total participant involvement will approximately last 5-months. A detailed report of each participant’s level of progress will then be generated and evaluated by expert judges. This will determine whether progress has occurred as a direct result of the therapy, or due to other reasons, and allow conclusions to be drawn about the use of ACT for older adults distressed by hearing voices.
Participants will be recruited from either Local Mental Health Teams at Nottinghamshire NHS Foundation Trust, or from the Hearing Voices Group in Beeston (Nottingham). Participants will be required to be age 65+ years and currently experience hearing voices that cause them distress.
This study will be funded by the NHS as part of a DClinPsy thesis.
REC name
London - Camberwell St Giles Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/LO/0426
Date of REC Opinion
5 Jul 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion