Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
7261635 | Behavior Therapy | 2018 | 13 Pages |
Abstract
The aim of this multisite randomized controlled trial was to determine whether an intervention based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) was efficacious in improving university students' psychological flexibility, mental health, and school engagement. Students were recruited in four Canadian universities and randomly assigned to an intervention (n = 72) or a wait-list control group (n = 72). Students in the intervention group took part in four 2.5-hour workshops during a 4-week period and were asked to do exercises at home (e.g., meditation, observation grids). Wait-list students received the intervention soon after the post measurements. MANCOVAs and ANCOVAs revealed that students in the intervention group showed greater psychological flexibility at postintervention than those in the control group. They also reported greater well-being and school engagement, and lower stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms. Taken together, results of this study suggest that an ACT-based intervention offers a valuable way to promote mental health and school engagement in postsecondary settings.
Keywords
Related Topics
Health Sciences
Medicine and Dentistry
Psychiatry and Mental Health
Authors
Simon Grégoire, Lise Lachance, Thérèse Bouffard, Frédérick Dionne,