Usability Study of the iACTwithPain platform: an online acceptance and commitment therapy and compassion-based intervention for chronic pain
Open accessAbstract
Background: This pilot study aims to test the usability of the iACTwithPain platform, an online ACT-based intervention for people with chronic pain, to obtain information on which intervention and usability aspects need improvement and on expected retention rates. Methods: Seventy-three Portuguese women with chronic pain were invited to complete the first three sessions of the iACTwithPain intervention assess their quality, usefulness and the platform's usability. Twenty-one accepted the invitation. Additionally, eight healthcare professionals working with chronic medical conditions assessed the platform and the intervention from a practitioner's point of view. Results: This study presented a considerable attrition rate (71.43%) among chronic pain participants, with six completers. There were no significant differences in demographic or clinical variables between dropouts and completers except for completed education (participants who dropped out presented less education than completers). Reasons for dropout were related to difficult personal events occurring during the time of the intervention, lack of time, or having forgotten. There seemed to be an overall satisfaction with both the intervention, its contents and form of presentation of information, and the platform, concerning its design, appearance, and usability. Real image videos were preferred over animations or audio by chronic pain participants. Healthcare professionals emphasized the appealing and dynamic aspects of the animation format. Conclusion: This study informs the ongoing improvement of the iACTwithPain platform and provides valuable information on aspects researchers should consider while developing online psychological interventions for chronic pain. Further implications are discussed.
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Online variations of chronic pain treatments have problems with attrition, sometimes as high as 71%, and patients who fall behind experience poorer outcomes.
“However, these studies identified problems with attrition in online variations, sometimes as high as 71%,35 and patients who fall behind experience poorer outcomes.36”
From Design and implementation of online acceptance and commitment therapy with enhanced therapist support for chronic low back pain (ACT for PAIN) (2025) · cites this paper as [35]
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- Authors
- Guiomar, R., Trindade, I. A., Carvalho, S. A., Menezes, P., Patrão, B., Nogueira, M. R., Lapa, T., Duarte, J., Pinto-Gouveia, J., & Castilho, P.
- Affiliations
- University of Coimbra (PT)
- University of Beira Interior (PT)
- Lund University (SE)
- Corresponding author
- Guiomar, Raquel
- ORCID
- Venue
- Frontiers in Psychology
- Publisher
- Frontiers Media SA
- Published
- 2022-07-22
- Volume
- 13
- Pages
- 848590-848590
- ISSN
- 1664-1078 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC9355698
- OpenAlex
- W4287093356
- Cited by
- 6
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1
- FWCI
- 0.88
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Frontiers in Psychology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- e-space (Manchester Metropolitan University) (acceptedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Lund University Publications (Lund University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- European Commission
- Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior (POCI-01-0145)
- Programa Operacional Regional do Centro (Centro2020)
- Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (01-0145, POCI-01-0145, SFRH/BD/5099/ 2020, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-, POCI-01-, /2017, CENTRO2020)
- European Regional Development Fund (CENTRO2020, POCI-01, 01-0145, POCI-01-0145, POCI-01-0145- FEDER)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation
- Keywords
- acceptance and commitment therapy, chronic pain, online psychological intervention, usability, intervention dropout, participant satisfaction, compassion-based interventions, healthcare professional perspectives, women with chronic pain
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