Balance Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Long COVID

NCT ID: NCT06231238

Last Updated: 2026-02-11

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 196 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2024-06-04
• Study Completion Date: 2026-06-01

Brief Summary

This randomised controlled trial aims to investigate the efficacy of a psychological intervention for long COVID (LC) / post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS) called Balance Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (Balance ACT).

The primary objective of this trial is to investigate whether Balance-ACT improves quality of life over treatment as usual (i.e., self-help leaflet) in people with PCS/LC.

Conditions

Post-COVID-19 Syndrome; Long COVID

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: DOUBLE

Study Groups

Balance ACT

Participants randomised to Balance ACT will receive 10 therapy sessions with a therapist.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Balance Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Balance-ACT is an ACT-based psychological intervention specifically designed for people with PCS/LC. Balance-ACT will use ACT techniques and mindfulness and will focus on establishing a balance psychologically and physiologically and regulating homeostasis. More specifically, Balance ACT will aim to regulate behaviours such as sleep, stress and activity, which can subsequently have an impact on homeostasis and physiology. Balance-ACT will also encourage people to live a values-based life and set goals according to their values.

Treatment as usual

Information leaflet about PCS/LC.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

Balance Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Balance-ACT is an ACT-based psychological intervention specifically designed for people with PCS/LC. Balance-ACT will use ACT techniques and mindfulness and will focus on establishing a balance psychologically and physiologically and regulating homeostasis. More specifically, Balance ACT will aim to regulate behaviours such as sleep, stress and activity, which can subsequently have an impact on homeostasis and physiology. Balance-ACT will also encourage people to live a values-based life and set goals according to their values.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. Age 18 or older

2. LC/PCS diagnosis as defined by National Health Service (NHS) / National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (i.e., symptoms that develop during or after an infection consistent with COVID-19, continue for more than 12 weeks and are not explained by an alternative diagnosis). A checklist will be used to ensure participants fulfil the diagnostic criteria as per the NICE guidelines

3. Ability to travel to the research site for the study assessments

4. Having registered with a General Practitioner (GP) in the United Kingdom (UK) and consent to provide their details for the study team to contact

5. Ability to provide informed consent

6. Ability to read and write English

Exclusion Criteria

1. Current diagnosis of an active major mental health disorder likely to interfere with participation

2. Unstable alcohol / drug dependency

3. Unstable complications associated with LC/PCS

4. Past hospitalisation for COVID-19

5. Current or recent participation in other treatment intervention studies (<4 weeks after completion)

6. Currently receiving psychological support or psychotherapy

7. Pregnancy

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

King's College London

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Locations

King's College London

Camberwell, London, United Kingdom

Countries

United Kingdom

Other Identifiers

326529

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id