SEED PROJECT: Implementation of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-Informed Psychosocial Group Program for Inpatients of the Queensland Spinal Injuries Unit (SIU)

About the Project

Researcher Name: Dr Katie Barrett

People/organisations involved:

T’Keya Chambers, CI

Dr Emily Bray, CI

Dr Harriet Bodimeade, AI

Meghan Nolan, AI

Jacinda Tipler, AI

Chloe Keyser, AI

Dr Evgeniya Zakharova, AI

Dr Tamara Ownsworth, AI

Dr Tim Geraghty, AI

Currently, all patients admitted to the Queensland SIU are assigned a designated psychologist and social worker; however, one-to-one support is not always desired by the individual. Offering a group psychosocial intervention creates another avenue by which inpatients can receive psychological support in a less intensive format and may promote positive health outcomes secondary to SCI. Furthermore, as the group-based nature of the program will foster peer support and connection, this may potentially increase participants’ social supports when reintegrating into the community and thereby mitigate against long-term secondary mental health issues.

As we aim to engage with consumers throughout the development and rollout of the program, this will enable us to tailor the program to their desired needs and better offer a supportive and meaningful program that will benefit individuals with SCI and any associated psychosocial support needs. Furthermore, the core tenet of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is to develop skills to flexibly respond to uncontrollable or challenging thoughts, feelings and internal experiences such that individuals can engage fully with their values (i.e., the sources of meaning in their lives). Hence, offering an ACT-informed psychosocial intervention seeks to restore a sense of purpose in people’s lives, identifying pathways for meaning and fulfilment in spite of serious injury.

Aim and objective:

The aims of this project are to:

develop a psychosocial group program within the SIU to support the emotional and social wellbeing of inpatients, and
examine the feasibility of implementing an ACT-informed group program within an inpatient setting, with progressive feedback from stakeholders used to refine the proposed program throughout the study and to inform plans for future programs in SIU.

Expected outcomes and impact:

Establish the barriers and facilitators of implementing an ACT-informed psychosocial group intervention within the Queensland SIU using consumer and health professional feedback.
Develop clinical resources (e.g., ACT therapist manual and worksheets) tailored for the SIU that can be integrated into routine care to support the psychological wellbeing of patients with SCI in the longer term.
Increased access to psychology support (and group format may mitigate help-seeking stigma whilst inpatient).
Increased access to positive peer support whilst inpatient with potential to promote ongoing social support when reintegrating into community.
Promotion of coping skills to mitigate against long-term secondary mental health issues in individuals with SCI.

Project status and timeframe:

Ethics and goverenance for this project will be established in early 2026.

A mixed-methods implementation feasibility study will be undertaken, comprising 2 stages: 1) Design and 2) Feasibility of Implementation.

In stage 1 the design phase, health practitioners and consumers will be invited to participate in two separate focus groups. The aim of the focus groups is to co-develop aspects of the ACT-psychosocial intervention. While the psychological content of the program will be based on ACT principles, consumers will provide insights from lived experiences to advise and refine the development of the psychosocial group.

In stage 2, we will examine at feasibility of implementation. Two separate group programs will run, one after the other, such that feedback from one group can inform improvements in the other group. The program will consist of six weekly sessions, each running up to 60minutes, including ACT psychoeducation and brief psychological skills training, followed by peer discussions. Qualitative feedback and psychometric outcome data will be collected.