Folke, F., & Parling, T. (2004). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in group format for individuals who are unemployed and on sick leave suffering from depression: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Unpublished Paper. Uppsala, Sweden: Uppsala University.
There is an over representation of unemployed on sick leave in Sweden in comparison to the total proportion of unemployed. Compared to the employed on sick leave unemployed individuals more often suffer from mental working disabilities and more often show a composite of problems. The present study investigated the effects of a brief Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) treatment with unemployed individuals on sick leave suffering from depression. ACT was compared with a Treatment-As-Usual (TAU) condition. Participants were randomized to the two conditions. Participants in the TAU condition received interventions offered by the Regional Social Insurance Office and the Public Employment Service. Participants in the ACT group received one individual and five group sessions and were free to participate in any other intervention as the TAU participants. All instruments were self-report scales and at post treatment the ACT group showed significantly lower level of depression and higher level of quality of life, general health, and perceived level of functioning compared to the TAU group. Results are discussed in the light of design weaknesses and future research directions are proposed. To sum up, this study showed that ACT is a promising, potentially time- and cost-effective, treatment for unemployed individuals on sick leave suffering from depression.