Wellbeing Wednesdays: a pilot trial of acceptance and commitment therapy embedded in a freshman seminar

Abstract

University students face vast mental health challenges, and both attitudinal and structural barriers to seeking care. Embedding interventions in college courses is one solution. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is an ideal candidate intervention given its emphasis on values, context, and skill building from a transdiagnostic perspective. This study embedded a brief ACT intervention in a required freshman seminar that was delivered by trained but unlicensed graduate students. In two class sessions of the freshman seminar taught by the same instructor, one session was randomly assigned to receive the course as usual, and one session received the ACT intervention. ACT content was delivered to all students in the intervention course on five consecutive weekly class periods. Students in both classes who chose to participate in the study completed assessments before and after the intervention and at follow-up. There were no significant changes with tests that were run, including non-parametric tests given the small sample sizes. Descriptively, the intervention group had slight improvements in wellbeing and mindfulness and decreases in distress, and the control group had worsened wellbeing, mindfulness and distress. A moderate portion of intervention group students enjoyed the intervention and indicated use of ACT skills, particularly mindfulness. Results suggest that this classroom-based intervention was feasible and acceptable, but further study should occur given small sample sizes. Future work should continue course-based ACT interventions, and should also explore potential applications of student training to deliver interventions given the shortage of mental health providers on college campuses. Key learning aims (1) Can acceptance and commitment therapy content and skills be integrated into an existing freshman seminar curriculum? (2) Can acceptance and commitment therapy improve wellbeing and decrease distress amongst college students? (3) How will students engage with and practise acceptance and commitment therapy skills outside of the context of session delivery?