Assessing the Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Distress Following Psychosis

This research investigates a new talking therapy aimed at helping people to come to terms with the experience of psychosis. The new therapy is called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for psychosis (PACT). PACT aims to help people: 1. Develop a sense of "mindfulness." Mindfulness allows you to be fully aware of your here-and-now experience, with an attitude of openness and curiosity. It is hoped that this will help reduce the impact of painful thoughts and feelings. 2. Take effective action that is conscious and deliberate, rather than impulsive. It is hoped that this will allow people to be motivated, guided, and inspired by the things that they value in life. It is hoped that PACT will help to reduce the level of distress that individuals diagnosed with psychosis have been experiencing and help them to stay well in the future.