Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41881039›Full record

ArticleJMIR formative research2026

Evaluating the Preliminary Outcomes and Acceptability of a Virtual Adaptation of Acceptance and Commitment Training for Caregivers of People With Disabilities ("I Am Not Alone"): Mixed Methods Study.

Louisa L Y Man, Hadas Dahary, Soumya Mishra, Carly Magnacca, Lee Steel, Yona Lunsky, Alex Porthukaran, Jodie Siu, Nicole Bobbette, Brianne Redquest and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JMIR formative research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Louisa L Y ManCampbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-1835-2955
Hadas DaharyAzrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-4197-5379
Soumya MishraAzrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID 0009-0002-0272-0215
Carly MagnaccaAzrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-5014-9215
Lee SteelAzrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID 0009-0004-6244-0551
Yona LunskyAzrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-1866-9728
Alex PorthukaranAzrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID 0009-0007-6302-8034
Jodie SiuAzrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID 0009-0005-8494-5937
Nicole BobbetteSchool of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-7628-0473
Brianne RedquestAzrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-7760-2649
Kendra ThomsonAzrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-2161-5613
Melanie PennerBloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-8376-9768
Jonathan WeissDepartment of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-5849-7334
Johanna LakeAzrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-3880-8123
Kenneth Po Lun FungDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-4441-8420

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFamily caregivers of children and youth with neurodevelopmental disabilities report higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression than other caregivers, yet few evidence-based mental health services are available to support them. Our previous research demonstrated that caregivers benefitted from our in-person group-based acceptance and commitment training (ACT) workshop, which increased their psychological flexibility and improved their mental well-being. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we adapted this intervention to be delivered virtually.

objectiveIn this study, we evaluated the program's impact on caregivers' psychological flexibility and mental well-being, as well as the acceptability of the virtual program.

methodsA total of 205 family caregivers of neurodivergent people or people with disabilities who registered for a virtual, group-based ACT intervention (10-12 hours across 5 or 6 weeks) from 1 of 27 teams across Canada participated in this research. ACT process (measured via the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire, Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form, and Valued Living Questionnaire) and mental well-being outcomes (measured through the Patient Health Questionnaire, Parenting Stress Index, Multi-System Model of Resilience Inventory, and Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale) were measured before and after the intervention and again at an 8-week follow-up. An acceptability survey was completed after the intervention, including items on satisfaction with virtual aspects of the intervention.

resultsThere was high intervention acceptability related to the virtual format (at least >80% satisfaction) despite variability in individual preferences (preferred in-person format: 28/91, 31%; preferred virtual format: 37/91, 41%; no preference: 26/91, 29%). Significant improvements were found for most ACT processes (fusion: F

conclusionsThe virtual, group-based ACT intervention was acceptable and led to positive changes in psychological flexibility and mental well-being among family caregivers of people with disabilities or neurodivergent people, similar to outcomes observed with in-person delivery of the intervention. Further comparison and contrast with in-person programming is needed to ensure accessibility and sustainability of this program.

Indexed as

Acceptance and Commitment TherapyCaregiversPersons with DisabilitiesAdaptation, PsychologicalAdolescentAdultCanadaChildCOVID-19FemaleHumansMaleMental Health TeletherapyMiddle AgedStress, PsychologicalSurveys and Questionnairesacceptance and commitment trainingcliniciansfamily caregiversneurodivergentvirtual adaptations

Identifiers

PMID41881039
PMCPMC13062744

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.