Showing up for class: Training graduate students in acceptance and commitment therapy

Growing use of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) increases the need for quality training of graduate students in professional psychology. This pilot study examined the impact of a semester long ACT course among 10 clinical and counseling psychology doctoral students. Reliable change index scores were used to evaluate individual changes in psychological flexibility and stress, which were measured pre-class, post-class, and 4 months following the class. Overall trends support increases in ACT knowledge appropriate to the nature of the course and modest improvements in personal growth over time. However, positive results were not consistent across all students or all measurements. A description of course components is included, and the clinical implications of these results are explored.