A Psychological Treatment for Tinnitus after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

ACTion-mTBI(4-Tin) is a five-session manualised psychological intervention developed for individuals experiencing tinnitus following a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The programme is based on Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and is co-delivered by a registered psychologist and an audiologist. The intervention is delivered in an individual (1:1) format, either in person or via telehealth according to participant preference. Each session is approximately 60 minutes in duration, and participants may optionally include a whanau/support person if they wish. The intervention targets core ACT processes, including acceptance, cognitive defusion, present-moment awareness, values clarification, self-as-context, and committed action, with specific application to tinnitus-related distress and functional impact. Participants are provided with structured psychoeducational and skills-based materials, including worksheets, experiential exercises, and values clarification tools. These materials have been specifically designed for this study, drawing on established ACT resources and tinnitus-informed adaptations developed in collaboration with an audiologist. Intervention adherence and fidelity are monitored using a standardised session attendance log and a clinician-completed session checklist documenting coverage of core intervention components. A subset of sessions may also be reviewed via audio recording (with participant consent) for fidelity monitoring. These procedures ensure consistent delivery of the intervention across participants and sites.