Pandemic Acceptance and Commitment to Empowerment Response (PACER) Training: Protocol for the Development and Rapid-Response Deployment

Abstract

Background During a global pandemic, it is critical to rapidly deploy a psychological intervention to support the mental health and resilience of highly affected individuals and communities. Objective This is the rationale behind the development and implementation of the Pandemic Acceptance and Commitment to Empowerment Response (PACER) Training, an online, blended, skills building intervention to increase the resilience and well-being of participants while promoting their individual and collective empowerment and capacity building. Methods Based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and social justice–based group empowerment psychoeducation (GEP), we developed the Acceptance and Commitment to Empowerment (ACE) model to enhance psychological resilience and collective empowerment. The PACER program consists of 6 online, interactive, self-guided modules complemented by 6 weekly, 90-minute, videoconference, facilitator-led, group sessions. Results As of August 2021, a total of 325 participants had enrolled in the PACER program. Participants include frontline health care providers and Chinese-Canadian community members. Conclusions The PACER program is an innovative intervention program with the potential for increasing resilience and empowerment while reducing mental distress during the pandemic. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/33495

COVID-19 Mental Health Stressors of Health Care Providers in the Pandemic Acceptance and Commitment to Empowerment Response (PACER) Intervention: Qualitative Study

“…It does not include results on the feasibility and outcomes of PACER, which are beyond the scope of this paper. However, the evaluation protocols of PACER have been published elsewhere [ 19 ]. The evaluation of PACER is currently underway to examine the effectiveness of PACER in reducing the psychological impact of stress, improving mental health outcomes, and promoting resilience but is beyond the scope of this paper.…”

“…The Pandemic Acceptance and Commitment to Empowerment Response (PACER) intervention [ 19 ] is an evidence-informed 6-week online training based on the Acceptance and Commitment to Empowerment (ACE) model. ACE is an innovative integration of the mindfulness-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) [ 20 ] and the social justice-based Group Empowerment Psychoeducation (GEP) [ 21 ].…”

Perceived empowerment and the impact of negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the quality of life of persons with severe mental illness

“…that PE improves an individual's capacity to cope with health related environmental challenges in a way that decreases potential negative effects on well-being and quality of life [61,62]. Only recently the improvement of PE by means of an online training program has been considered as a resource helping vulnerable population groups to cope with the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic [62].…”

“…PE is defined as the perception of control and mastery over one’s life, and of the perceived ability to utilize one’s skills to prevent or cope with life events [ 58 – 60 ]. PE is regarded as a crucial factor in resilience theory [ 60 ] suggesting that PE improves an individual’s capacity to cope with health related environmental challenges in a way that decreases potential negative effects on well-being and quality of life [ 61 , 62 ]. Only recently the improvement of PE by means of an online training program has been considered as a resource helping vulnerable population groups to cope with the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic [ 62 ].…”

“…PE is regarded as a crucial factor in resilience theory [ 60 ] suggesting that PE improves an individual’s capacity to cope with health related environmental challenges in a way that decreases potential negative effects on well-being and quality of life [ 61 , 62 ]. Only recently the improvement of PE by means of an online training program has been considered as a resource helping vulnerable population groups to cope with the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic [ 62 ]. However, although the important role of PE in the process of recovery from mental disorder has been widely demonstrated, to date there is no research about the potential effects of PE as a resource that could help people with SMI to cope with the psychosocial adversities of the COVID-19 pandemic.…”