CG04
Clinical Effectiveness of Cogact to Improve Cognitive and Psychosocial Functioning of People with Multiple Sclerosis
Despite the urgency for cognitive and psychosocial rehabilitation services as a standard of care, there has been a paucity of efficacy studies designed to investigate these integrated therapeutic approaches in people with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) with current clinical research highlighting the drastic need for effective rehabilitation techniques within the field of Multiple Sclerosis.
Objectives:
To evaluated the clinical effectiveness of a 12 week integrated Cognitive Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (CogACT) program on aspects of cognitive and psychosocial functioning including attention, memory, information processing, executive functioning, mood, mindfulness, quality of life, and values-directed living.
Methods:
Twenty PwMS commenced and completed the 12 week integrated CogACT program with neuropsychological and psychosocial assessments completed at pre, post and 3 months follow-up time points. The CogACT program involved 12 weekly therapy sessions which integrated a computerised cognitive retraining program with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). The cognitive retraining program was designed to improve attention, information processing and working memory capacity, whilst the concurrent ACT program component was designed to enhance psychological flexibility through improvements in self-concept, cognitive defusion, acceptance, mindfulness, values and committed action.
Results:
Our results obtained from 20 PwMS indicate that prior to the commencement of the integrated CogACT program; participants reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress and cognitive difficulties in addition to low levels of acceptance, mindfulness, quality of life and values-directed living. At the completion of the integrated 12 week CogACT program we observed clinically and statistically significant improvements in all neuropsychological and psychosocial variables assessed. In addition, at 3 months follow-up, these clinically and statistically significant neuropsychological and psychosocial improvements were maintained.
Conclusions:
To date, cognitive and psychosocial rehabilitation services for PwMS have been relatively neglected, and as a consequence, cognitive and psychosocial strategies and therapeutic treatments are under developed. This research presentation will provide an overview of the novel integrated CogACT program in addition to the presentation of results which support the feasibility and effectiveness of our CogACT program for PwMS.