Qualitative interview protocol for the focus groups
| Acceptability and feasibility | How would you describe your experience of taking part in ‘A Bite of ACT’ programme? |
| Brevity and accessibility of intervention | Did you appreciate that this was a brief intervention? |
| Process of change | What did you learn from this programme? |
| Acceptability | What was the aspect of the programme that you liked the most? What was your favourite activity (or session)? |
| Suggestions for further improvement | What did you least like about the programme? What do you think could be improved? |
| Barriers | Were there any difficulties to taking part? |
| Implementing change | Do you practise mindfulness, acceptance, defusion and values? How often? Could you apply what you have learnt through the BOA intervention to the real world in everyday events? Will you apply this new knowledge to everyday events? |
| Process of change | Have you noticed any differences in your life as a result of taking part in ‘A Bite of ACT’? If ‘yes’, what are these differences? |
| Acceptability | Would you recommend this intervention to someone you care about? Did you like the theoretical concepts central to the ACT intervention? How did you feel about its delivery? |
| Processes of the trial | Was there anything you liked or disliked about the study trial? How could we improve this study trial? Were all the instructions clear? |
| Adverse effects | Did you feel that any aspect of the intervention may have made worse any aspect of your anxiety, depression or stress? Were there any adverse effects that you can recognise due to the intervention? |
ACT, acceptance and commitment therapy; BOA, A Bite of ACT.