A Case Study: An ACT Stress Management Group in a University Counseling Center

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) stress management group in a college counseling center setting. This study explored (a) the effectiveness of ACT in increasing participants' ability to tolerate distress, which directly affects their ability to function in a stressful college setting; (b) the effectiveness of ACT in decreasing participants' level of experiential avoidance, which directly affects their willingness to engage in their day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and social interactions; and (c) the impact of ACT treatment on anxiety symptoms traditionally targeted in cognitive-behavioral therapy interventions. The results of this initial investigation show promising support for the prediction that an ACT Stress Management Group would significantly reduce participants' level of experiential avoidance and increase their ability to tolerate distress.Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a "third-wave" behavioral therapy, which recently has been gaining popularity and attention. While ACT is part of the cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) tradition, it has several distinct differences. CBT focuses on symptom reduction, with the goal of helping people feel better through the reduction of anxiety, depression, or other intense, sustained emotions. In addition, this symptom reduction is extended to a client's related cognitions and behaviors as explicit treatment goals

The efficacy of Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in VA primary care.

“…These findings are consistent with literature assessing the effectiveness of longer ACT protocols (i.e., 12 weeks) with respect to enhanced quality of life (A-Tjak et al, 2015), reduced stress (Daltry, 2015), and reduced anxiety and depressive symptoms (Smout, Hayes, Atkins, Klausen, & Duguid, 2012). These findings are also consistent with extant research showing that shorter-term treatment may lead to outcomes just as great as those achieved by longer-term treatment (Molenaar et al, 2011).…”

ACT em Grupo para Manejo de Ansiedade entre Universitários: Ensaio Clínico Randomizado

“…Dentre os artigos incluídos na revisão de Coto-Lesmes et al ( 2020), apenas um foi conduzido com estudantes universitários, tratando-se de um relatório preliminar baseado em um estudo de caso de quatro pacientes atendidos por meio da ACT em grupo em uma universidade dos Estados Unidos. De acordo com a autora, as sessões do grupo auxiliaram os pacientes a reduzirem a esquiva experiencial, diminuindo os níveis de ansiedade como um produto deste processo (Daltry, 2015). É plausível que este também seja o fenômeno subjacente na redução de ansiedade observada nos participantes da intervenção aqui apresentada.…”