Feasibility of an acceptance and commitment therapy adjunctive web-based program for counseling centers.

Abstract

Web-based adjunctive tools provide a promising method for addressing the challenges college counseling centers face in meeting the mental health needs of students. The current study tested an initial adjunctive prototype based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in a pre-post open trial with 30 counselors and 82 student clients across 4 counseling centers. Results indicated high ratings of program satisfaction and usability with counselors and students. The majority of students completed at least part of the program. Significant improvements were found across almost all outcome and ACT process measures with student clients. Improvements in student outcomes were predicted by both changes in psychological inflexibility and how often counselors discussed the program with students. Results are discussed in relation to support for and future development of a flexible, adjunctive ACT program for counseling centers.

Web-Based Self-Help for Preventing Mental Health Problems in Universities: Comparing Acceptance and Commitment Training to Mental Health Education

“…Such strategies could be implemented from a supportive accountability approach in which a professional or paraprofessional provides ongoing guidance and support for students using the program, which is an effective and standard way intervention developers have typically improved program engagement and adherence (Mohr, Cuijpers, & Lehman, ). Consistent with this, initial research suggests ACT‐CL could be effective, at least for more acute treatment, in an adjunctive guided self‐help format with counselors providing guidance (Levin et al., ). Thus, ACT‐CL might be improved in part by adjusting how the program is implemented, such as providing more supportive accountability to users.…”

“…Several recent randomized trials have demonstrated the efficacy of web‐based self‐help ACT for depression (e.g., Lappalainen et al., ), chronic pain (e.g., Trompetter et al., ), smoking (e.g., Bricker, Wyszynski, Comstock, & Heffner, ), and tinnitus (e.g., Hesser et al., ). Research specifically with university students has found that ACT in a web‐based self‐help format can improve academic performance (Chase et al., ) and psychological symptoms as an adjunct to counseling services (Levin, Pistorello, Hayes, Seeley, & Levin, ). Overall, this research suggests ACT may be feasible as a prevention approach and in a web‐based self‐help format, although only one study has specifically tested ACT as a transdiagnostic web‐based self‐help prevention program (Levin, Pistorello, Hayes, & Seeley, ).…”

Pilot evaluation of a web‐based acceptance and commitment therapy program to promote mental health skills in university students

“…When ACT‐CL was used as an adjunctive with face‐to‐face counseling, Levin et al. () reported lower completion rates of 67% (module 1), 49% (module 2), and 38% (module 3), and a postintervention assessment completion rate of 44%. Finally, Rasanen et al.…”

“…The ACT‐CL group ( n = 37) evidenced greater improvements on education values and motivation, and depression compared to a waitlist group ( n = 39). In a subsequent pre‐ and postintervention open trial study, Levin, Pistorello, Hayes, Seeley, and Levin () updated ACT‐CL from two to three online sessions targeting the ACT processes values, acceptance and mindfulness, and added four training sessions for counselors ( n = 30) so the program could be offered as an optional counseling adjunctive for students already receiving face‐to‐face treatment ( n = 82) with counselors in university counseling centers. Most participants improved on depression, anxiety, stress, psychological flexibility, mindfulness, and education values.…”

The relationship between personal growth and psychological functioning in individuals treated in a partial hospital setting

“…The PVQ‐II was derived from the well‐validated and widely used measure of personal strivings developed by Emmons (; ) and expanded by Sheldon and colleagues (). Although the domain assessed in the current study has not been previously validated and used on its own in published research, other studies have adapted the PVQ‐II to focus on one or more specific domains (e.g., Ferssizidis et al., ; Levin, Hayes, Pistorello, & Seeley, ; Levin, Pistorello, Hayes, Seeley, & Levin, ).…”