Web-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Intervention for University Students
Preliminary Effectiveness Study of Web-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Intervention for Promoting Wellbeing in University Students
Study Overview
Status
Conditions
Intervention / Treatment
Detailed Description
University students commonly encounter academic, social, and personal stressors that increase their risk of psychological distress and negatively affect wellbeing and academic performance. Although mindfulness-based interventions have demonstrated effectiveness in improving mental health outcomes, evidence regarding culturally adapted web-based interventions for Pakistani university students remains limited.
This study developed and evaluated a culturally appropriate web-based intervention grounded in the six core processes of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), including acceptance, cognitive defusion, present-moment awareness, self-as-context, values clarification, and committed action. The intervention was delivered online over eight weekly sessions and included psychoeducation, mindfulness exercises, breathing practices, experiential activities, and home assignments.
A randomized controlled trial was conducted among undergraduate psychology students enrolled at the National University of Modern Languages (NUML), Islamabad. Participants were randomly allocated to either the intervention group or a wait-list control group. Standardized measures of mindfulness, psychological flexibility, wellbeing, quality of life, academic psychological capital, work engagement, and general psychological health were administered before and after the intervention to evaluate its effectiveness.
Study Type
Enrollment (Actual)
Phase
- Not Applicable
Contacts and Locations
Study Locations
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Islamabad
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Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan, 44000
- National University of Modern Languages (NUML), Islamabad.
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Participation Criteria
Eligibility Criteria
Ages Eligible for Study
- Adult
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Description
Inclusion Criteria:
Undergraduate university students enrolled at the National University of Modern Languages (NUML), Islamabad.
Aged 18 years or older. Able to read and understand English and Urdu (or the language used for the intervention and questionnaires).
Willing to participate and provide written informed consent. Able to access the internet and complete the web-based intervention activities.
Exclusion Criteria:
Participants currently receiving any psychological treatment or psychotherapy. Participants with a diagnosed psychiatric disorder that would interfere with participation.
Participants unable to complete the web-based intervention or study assessments.
Participants who did not provide informed consent.
Study Plan
How is the study designed?
Design Details
- Primary Purpose: Treatment
- Allocation: Randomized
- Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
- Masking: None (Open Label)
Arms and Interventions
Participant Group / Arm |
Intervention / Treatment |
|---|---|
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Experimental: Web-Based ACT Intervention
Participants received an eight-session web-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention designed to improve mindfulness, psychological flexibility, wellbeing, and quality of life
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Participants received an eight-session web-based intervention based on the principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
The intervention was delivered online and included psychoeducation, mindfulness meditation practices, breathing exercises, experiential activities, values clarification, acceptance and cognitive defusion exercises, present-moment awareness, self-as-context activities, committed action tasks, and weekly home practice assignments.
Each session was designed to enhance mindfulness, psychological flexibility, wellbeing, and quality of life among university students
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No Intervention: Wait-list Control
Participants were assigned to a wait-list control group and did not receive the intervention during the study period.
They were offered the intervention after completion of the post-intervention assessment.
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What is the study measuring?
Primary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
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Change in mindfulness scores measured by the Five facet mindfulness questionnaire (FFMQ)
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately post-intervention (8 weeks)
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Mindfulness was assessed at baseline and immediately after completion of the eight-session web-based intervention.
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Baseline and immediately post-intervention (8 weeks)
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Change in Psychological Flexibility score measured by the Acceptance and action questionnaire (AAQ-II)
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately post-intervention (8 weeks)
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It was administered at baseline and immediately after completion of the eight-session web-based intervention.
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Baseline and immediately post-intervention (8 weeks)
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Change in wellbeing scores measured by the WHO-Five-Well-being Index
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately post-intervention (8 weeks)
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Wellbeing was assessed at baseline and immediately after completion of the eight-session web-based intervention.
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Baseline and immediately post-intervention (8 weeks)
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Secondary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
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Change in Quality of Life score measured by the WHOQOL
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately post-intervention (8 weeks)
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it was assessed at baseline and immediately after the intervention.
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Baseline and immediately post-intervention (8 weeks)
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Change in Academic Psychological Capital score measured by Academic Psychological Capital Questionnaire
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately post-intervention (8 weeks)
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Academic Psychological Capital was measured before and after the intervention.
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Baseline and immediately post-intervention (8 weeks)
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Change in Academic Engagement score measured by Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for students (UWES)
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately post-intervention (8 weeks)
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Academic engagement was assessed before and after the intervention.
before and after the intervention.
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Baseline and immediately post-intervention (8 weeks)
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Change in Mental Health score measured by the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12)
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately post-intervention (8 weeks)
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Mental health scores were assessed before and after the intervention.
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Baseline and immediately post-intervention (8 weeks)
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Collaborators and Investigators
Investigators
- Study Chair: Asia Mushtaq, National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad
Study record dates
Study Major Dates
Study Start (Actual)
Primary Completion (Actual)
Study Completion (Actual)
Study Registration Dates
First Submitted
First Submitted That Met QC Criteria
First Posted (Actual)
Study Record Updates
Last Update Posted (Actual)
Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria
Last Verified
More Information
Terms related to this study
Keywords
Other Study ID Numbers
- NUML-PSY_2024/176
Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)
Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?
Drug and device information, study documents
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product
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