An interventional study of Single-Session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (SS-ACT) in Generalised Anxiety Disorder and Anxiety, sponsored by GIFT University. Completed at 1 site in Pakistan. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 25 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-23.
Sponsored by GIFT University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
This study examined whether a single 120-minute, therapist-led Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (SS-ACT) session, delivered individually and face-to-face in Urdu, was associated with reduced generalized anxiety symptoms among undergraduate students in Pakistan. Fifty full-time undergraduate students aged 18 to 25 at GIFT University (25 male, 25 female), who scored 5 or above on the GAD-7 and met DSM-5 criteria for generalized anxiety disorder on the SCID-5 interview, received the session. Anxiety symptoms (GAD-7) were measured before the session, immediately after it, and at a two-week follow-up. Psychological inflexibility (AAQ-II) was measured before and immediately after the session. The study also examined whether changes in anxiety differed between male and female participants. This was a single-group study without a control or comparison group.
Design: Single-group, quasi-experimental, repeated-measures study. All participants received the same intervention. There was no randomization and no control or comparison group.
Participants: Fifty full-time undergraduate students aged 18 to 25 years at GIFT University, Gujranwala (25 male, 25 female), recruited through purposive sampling. Eligibility required a GAD-7 score of 5 or above and a primary diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder confirmed by the SCID-5. Exclusion criteria: current psychotherapy or pharmacological treatment for anxiety; a self-reported history of severe psychiatric disorder (e.g., psychotic disorder or bipolar disorder) or any condition judged likely to interfere with participation; inability to give informed consent or complete the procedures independently. Sample size was calculated in advance with G*Power 3.1.9.7 (repeated-measures ANOVA, three measurements, f = 0.25, alpha = .05, power = .80), giving a minimum of 43 participants.
Intervention: One 120-minute, therapist-led, individual, face-to-face SS-ACT session in Urdu, delivered by the researcher. It had seven stages covering all six core ACT processes: introduction and psychoeducation (15 min), present-moment awareness (15 min), cognitive defusion (20 min), acceptance (20 min), self-as-context (15 min), values clarification (15 min) and committed action (20 min).
Procedure: Phase 1, GAD-7 screening of consenting undergraduate students. Phase 2, SCID-5 diagnostic confirmation. Phase 3, pre-intervention measures, the SS-ACT session, post-intervention measures immediately afterwards, and a two-week follow-up.
Measures: GAD-7 (primary outcome) at pre-intervention (T1), immediately post-intervention (T2) and two-week follow-up (T3). AAQ-II (psychological inflexibility, process variable) at T1 and T2 only.
Objectives: (1) to investigate the baseline level of GAD symptoms using the GAD-7; (2) to evaluate the effectiveness of SS-ACT in reducing GAD symptoms; (3) to investigate gender differences in GAD symptom reduction following SS-ACT; (4) to examine change in psychological inflexibility (AAQ-II) from pre- to post-intervention.
Statistical analysis: Repeated-measures ANOVA for GAD-7 across three time points, with the Greenhouse-Geisser correction where sphericity was violated; Bonferroni-adjusted pairwise comparisons; mixed-design ANOVA for the Time x Gender interaction; repeated-measures analysis of AAQ-II from pre- to post-intervention. Effect sizes: Cohen's d for pairwise comparisons and partial eta-squared for omnibus effects. Alpha = .05.
146 studies on the registry are indexed under Generalized Anxiety Disorder; 86 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 50 is below the median of 100 across 120 interventional studies indexed under Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Single group of 50 undergraduate students aged 18 to 25 at GIFT University (25 male, 25 female) with generalized anxiety disorder confirmed by SCID-5. All participants received one 120-minute therapist-led SS-ACT session in Urdu. GAD-7 was administered before the session, immediately after it, and at two-week follow-up; AAQ-II before and immediately after. No control or comparison group.
Behavioral: Single-Session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (SS-ACT)
A single 120-minute, therapist-led, individual, face-to-face ACT session in Urdu, structured in seven stages and covering the six core ACT processes: introduction and psychoeducation, present-moment awareness, cognitive defusion, acceptance, self-as-context, values clarification and committed action.
Change in generalized anxiety symptoms (GAD-7)
Generalized anxiety symptom severity measured with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), a 7-item self-report scale. Total scores range from 0 to 21; higher scores indicate greater anxiety severity. Change was examined across pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and two-week follow-up.
Time frame: Pre-intervention (baseline), immediately post-intervention, and two-week follow-up
Change in psychological inflexibility (AAQ-II)
Psychological inflexibility (experiential avoidance) measured with the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II), a 7-item self-report scale rated 1 to 7. Total scores range from 7 to 49; higher scores indicate greater psychological inflexibility.
Time frame: Pre-intervention (baseline) and immediately post-intervention
Plan to share: No — Data are not shared because participants consented on the basis of confidentiality and anonymised data storage.
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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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