An interventional study of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-Based Group Intervention and Personal Development Activities in Mental Health, sponsored by Mehmet Akif Ersoy University. Completed at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Open to participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-08.
Sponsored by Mehmet Akif Ersoy University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
This study evaluated the effects of a structured Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based group intervention on college students' mental health. A total of 100 undergraduate students participated in the study and were assigned to an ACT intervention group, an active comparison group receiving personal development activities, or a no-intervention control group. The ACT intervention consisted of seven weekly group sessions of approximately 90 minutes each. Outcomes included psychological flexibility, self-compassion, holistic well-being, and psychological symptoms. Assessments were conducted at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and approximately 12 weeks after the post-intervention assessment.
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Exclusion Criteria:
- Presence of a serious psychiatric condition or cognitive impairment that could hinder participation in the study
Participants received a structured Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based group intervention consisting of seven weekly sessions of approximately 90 minutes each. The intervention addressed core ACT processes, including present-moment awareness, cognitive defusion, acceptance, self-as-context, values, and committed action.
Behavioral: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-Based Group Intervention
Participants in the placebo group received seven weekly group sessions of approximately 90 minutes each focusing on personal development topics, including time management, communication, motivation, study skills, goal setting, personal awareness, and adjustment to college life. The sessions did not include ACT-specific techniques.
Behavioral: Personal Development Activities
Participants in the control group did not receive any psychological or psychoeducational intervention during the study period.
The intervention consisted of seven weekly group sessions, each lasting approximately 90 minutes. The program was based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and addressed core ACT processes, including present-moment awareness, cognitive defusion, acceptance, self-as-context, values, and committed action. The intervention aimed to improve psychological flexibility, self-compassion, and holistic well-being and to reduce psychological symptoms among college students.
The placebo group received seven weekly group sessions of approximately 90 minutes each. The sessions focused on personal development topics, including time management, communication, motivation, study skills, goal setting, personal awareness, and adjustment to college life. No ACT-specific techniques were included in these sessions.
Change in Psychological Flexibility
Psychological flexibility was assessed using the Acceptance and Fusion Questionnaire for Youth-8 (AFQ-Y8), an 8-item self-report measure. Items were reverse-coded so that higher scores indicated greater psychological flexibility.
Time frame: Baseline, immediately post-intervention (approximately 7 weeks), and approximately 12 weeks after post-intervention
Change in Self-Compassion
Self-compassion was assessed using the 12-item Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form (SCS-SF). Higher scores indicate higher levels of self-compassion.
Time frame: Baseline, immediately post-intervention (approximately 7 weeks), and approximately 12 weeks after post-intervention
Change in Holistic Well-Being
Holistic well-being was assessed using the 12-item Holistic Wellbeing Measure. Higher scores indicate higher levels of holistic well-being.
Time frame: Baseline, immediately post-intervention (approximately 7 weeks), and approximately 12 weeks after post-intervention
Change in Psychological Symptoms
Psychological symptoms were assessed using the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18), an 18-item self-report measure assessing depression, anxiety, and somatization symptoms. Higher scores indicate greater psychological symptom severity.
Time frame: Baseline, immediately post-intervention (approximately 7 weeks), and approximately 12 weeks after post-intervention
Plan to share: Yes — De-identified individual participant data underlying the results reported in this study will be available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
This study is completed, as verified in Oct 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Mehmet Akif Ersoy University