Shin, J. S., & Lee, B. K. (2018). Effects of acceptance and commitment therapy on pain, pain interference, and life satisfaction for the elderly people with chronic pain. Stress, 26,(3), 231-242. https://doi.org/10.17547/kjsr.2018.26.3.231
본 연구에서는 수용전념치료(ACT)를 노인들의 만성통증에 적용하여 통증과 통증간섭, 삶의 만족도에 대한 치료효과를 검증하였다. 퇴행성 질환으로 만성통증을 호소하는 65세 이상의 노인들을 대상으로, 치료집단에는 ACT 집단 프로그램, 통제집단에는 건강교육을 총 8회기로 진행하였다. 결과분석에는 치료집단 25명과 통제집단 27명으로 총 52명의 자료를 사용하였다. 그 결과, 건강교육에 비해 ACT 프로그램은 통증과 통증간섭을 유의미하게 감소시켰으며 매개변인으로 가정한 불안과 심리적 경직성을 변화시키는 데 효과적이었다. 그러나 통증 및 통증간섭 감소에 대한 불안과 심리적 경직성 변화의 매개효과는 유의하지 않은 것으로 나타났다. 본 연구는 만성통증 노인에 대한 ACT의 효과를 검증한 연구라는 점에서 의의가 있다.
Background: The population of the aged has been rapidly increasing worldwide, and about 50% of them are under chronic pain by irreversible degenerative diseases. This study aimed to verify the effectiveness of ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) on pain, pain interference, and life satisfaction in people with chronic pain. In addition, this study proposed that anxiety, depression, self-efficacy, psychological inflexibility in pain, pain catastrophizing and kinesiophobia are mediating the effectiveness of ACT.
Methods: Participants of ACT program for this study comprised the elderly aged 65 and over who had been suffering from chronic pain for at least 6 months and reported their pain intensity of at least five on the VAS (Visual Analogue Scale, 0-10). During the sessions, experimental group participated in the ACT program designed by Stoddard and Wetherell(2011) and the control group received health education. After finishing eight sessions of each program, data from 25 participants in the experimental group and 27 in the control group were used for the final analysis.
Results: The results showed that the ACT program is significantly more effective on relieving pain, pain interference, anxiety, and psychological inflexibility in pain than health education program. However, anxiety and psychological inflexibility did not have significant mediating effects on pain and pain interference.
Conclusions: Finally, this study has verified the curative effect of ACT for elderly people suffering from chronic pain. Therefore, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy can be used for supplementary treatment for patients with degenerative disease.