One-day acceptance and commitment training workshops in medical populations

• Chronic medical illnesses are often accompanied with distress and require a high level of self-management.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy provides a unified model of behavior change for multi-problem patients.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy has been implemented in various formats, including one-day group workshops.
• One-day workshops are well-suited for dissemination into medical settings.
• Studies of one-day workshops in medical populations are promising but more research remains necessary.

Chronic medical illnesses often require a high level of self-management, which can be challenging, particularly over extended periods. The challenge is accentuated by comorbid depression or anxiety, which interfere with motivation and drive. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is an empirically based behavioral intervention aimed at helping individuals develop greater psychological flexibility in the face of life's challenges. It provides a unified model of behavior change and has shown promise in treating depression and anxiety, as well as chronic medical conditions. Importantly, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy has been effectively implemented in various formats, including one-day group workshops, well-suited for dissemination into medical settings. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of studies of one-day group workshops in medical populations and suggest future directions for further development of this promising area.