Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Psychological Flexibility, Values, and Well-Being: A Single-Case Experimental Study (ACT-UNIVALLE)

Universidad del Valle, Colombia

Status: Completed

Conditions: Experiential Avoidance; Psychological Well-Being; Emotional Distress; Psychological Flexibility; Cognitive Fusion

Treatments: Behavioral: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-Based Brief Group Intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07620483

UNIVALLE-ACT-2025 (Other Identifier)

Faculty of Psychology (Other Identifier)

Universidad del Valle

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the effects of a brief Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based group intervention on psychological flexibility, values-based functioning, and psychological well-being in university students aged 18 to 28 years presenting elevated levels of emotional distress and psychological risk indicators.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

Does a brief ACT-based intervention reduce experiential avoidance and cognitive fusion in university students? Does the intervention improve present-moment awareness, values-based functioning, life satisfaction, and psychological flourishing?

Participants will:

Complete repeated self-report assessments across 13 measurement points distributed throughout baseline, intervention, and follow-up phases.

Participate in five weekly ACT-based group intervention sessions delivered by trained clinical psychologists.

Engage in experiential ACT exercises focused on acceptance, mindfulness, cognitive defusion, values clarification, and committed action.

Complete between-session activities and behavioral practices related to the ACT processes addressed during the intervention.

Participate in follow-up assessments to evaluate maintenance of treatment effects over time.

Full description

University students frequently experience elevated levels of emotional distress, including symptoms of anxiety, depression, stress, worry, and psychological maladjustment. Brief interventions based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) have shown promising results in reducing experiential avoidance and cognitive fusion while promoting psychological flexibility and well-being.

The present study evaluates the effects of a brief ACT-based intervention protocol delivered in a group format using a Single-Case Experimental Design (SCED) with repeated measurements across baseline, intervention, and follow-up phases. The intervention focuses on core ACT processes, including acceptance, cognitive defusion, present-moment awareness, values clarification, and committed action.

Participants completed repeated assessments of psychological flexibility processes and well-being indicators across thirteen measurement points distributed throughout the study phases. The investigators hypothesize that the ACT-based intervention will produce reductions in experiential avoidance and cognitive fusion, together with improvements in present-moment awareness, values-based functioning, life satisfaction, and flourishing.

Enrollment: 12 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 28 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

University students aged 18 years or older Interest in strengthening mental health and psychological well-being Voluntary agreement to participate in the study

High-risk scores on at least one of the following screening instruments:

Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) State Worry Questionnaire-11 (SWQ-11)

Exclusion criteria

Current psychological or psychiatric treatment Current use of psychiatric medication Diagnosis related to developmental or learning difficulties Failure to attend intervention sessions Incomplete participation in study assessments

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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12 participants in 1 patient group

ACT-Based Brief Group Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

The intervention consisted of a brief ACT-based group protocol delivered weekly by trained clinical psychologists. The protocol targeted core ACT processes including acceptance, cognitive defusion, present-moment awareness, values clarification, and committed action. Sessions incorporated experiential exercises, metaphors, mindfulness practices, reflective activities, and between-session behavioral tasks designed to promote psychological flexibility and psychological well-being in university students.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-Based Brief Group Intervention