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Morey A, Samuel V, Williams M. Universal online self-help ACT interventions for youth: A systematic review. Behav Res Ther 2024; 180:104576. [PMID: 38852229 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2024.104576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Previous reviews of online self-help have not exclusively focussed on universally delivered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of universal online self-help ACT interventions for young people. Relevant databases were searched for studies examining ACT interventions that were delivered universally, online and as self-help (guided and unguided) to young people aged 10 to 25-years-old. Eleven studies met inclusion criteria. These were assessed for quality and findings summarised using a narrative synthesis. Outcomes on mental health, well-being and ACT processes were reviewed, and results across studies were mixed. Most studies found significant improvements in mental health and well-being outcomes following the ACT intervention; however less than half found improvements in ACT process measures. Subgroups, such as those with elevated mental health symptoms, had better outcomes. There were no changes in measures of psychological inflexibility. However, methodological issues limited the interpretation of findings. Heterogeneity between studies and methodological issues made it difficult for this review to draw conclusions regarding the effectiveness of universal online self-help ACT interventions for young people. Future research with consistent approaches is needed across these types of interventions to improve methodological rigour to determine whether these interventions are effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Morey
- South Wales Doctoral Programme in Clinical Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, 70 Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK.
| | - Victoria Samuel
- South Wales Doctoral Programme in Clinical Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, 70 Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK.
| | - Marc Williams
- South Wales Doctoral Programme in Clinical Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, 70 Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK.
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Thomas EBK, Sagorac Gruichich T, Maronge JM, Hoel S, Victory A, Stowe ZN, Cochran A. Mobile Acceptance and Commitment Therapy With Distressed First-Generation College Students: Microrandomized Trial. JMIR Ment Health 2023; 10:e43065. [PMID: 37184896 DOI: 10.2196/43065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Extant gaps in mental health services are intensified among first-generation college students. Improving access to empirically based interventions is critical, and mobile health (mHealth) interventions are growing in support. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is an empirically supported intervention that has been applied to college students, via mobile app, and in brief intervals. OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the safety, feasibility, and effectiveness of an ACT-based mHealth intervention using a microrandomized trial (MRT) design. METHODS Participants (N=34) were 18- to 19-year-old first-generation college students reporting distress, who participated in a 6-week intervention period of twice-daily assessments and randomization to intervention. Participants logged symptoms, moods, and behaviors on the mobile app Lorevimo. After the assessment, participants were randomized to an ACT-based intervention or no intervention. Analyses examined proximal change after randomization using a weighted and centered least squares approach. Outcomes included values-based and avoidance behavior, as well as depressive symptoms and perceived stress. RESULTS The findings indicated the intervention was safe and feasible. The intervention increased values-based behavior but did not decrease avoidance behavior. The intervention reduced depressive symptoms but not perceived stress. CONCLUSIONS An MRT of an mHealth ACT-based intervention among distressed first-generation college students suggests that a larger MRT is warranted. Future investigations may tailor interventions to contexts where intervention is most impactful. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04081662; https://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT04081662. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) RR2-10.2196/17086.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jacob M Maronge
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Sydney Hoel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Amanda Victory
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Zachary N Stowe
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Amy Cochran
- Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Mathematics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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Wang J, Fang S, Yang C, Tang X, Zhu L, Nie Y. The Relationship Between Psychological Flexibility and Depression, Anxiety and Stress: A Latent Profile Analysis. Psychol Res Behav Manag 2023; 16:997-1007. [PMID: 36998741 PMCID: PMC10044140 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s400757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose To explore the potential classification of psychological flexibility (PF) among Chinese college students, analyze whether there is group heterogeneity in PF, and discuss the differences in the latent profile of PF in the negative emotions of depression, anxiety, and stress. Methods A total of 1769 college students were investigated using the Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire and Depression-Anxiety-Stress Self-rating Scale, and heterogeneity was tested by latent profile analysis. Results The PF of college students can be divided into three latent profiles: self-contradiction group (19.2%), high PF group (34.1%), and low PF group (46.7%). The scores of depression, anxiety, and stress are significantly different among the groups. Conclusion There is obvious group heterogeneity in the PF of college students, and they can be divided into the self-contradiction group, the high PF group, and the low PF group. The self-contradiction and low PF groups score significantly higher on the negative emotions of depression, anxiety, and stress than the high PF group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- School of Educational Science, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shuanghu Fang
- School of Educational Science, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, People’s Republic of China
- Correspondence: Shuanghu Fang, Email
| | - Chunying Yang
- School of Special Education, Zhengzhou Normal University, Zhengzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaobin Tang
- School of Marxism, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, People’s Republic of China
| | - Luosha Zhu
- School of Marxism, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yu Nie
- Office of Student Affairs, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, People’s Republic of China
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Hoel S, Victory A, Sagorac Gruichich T, Stowe ZN, McInnis MG, Cochran A, Thomas EBK. A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Mobile ACT Responses From Two Cohorts. Front Digit Health 2022; 4:869143. [PMID: 35633737 PMCID: PMC9133380 DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2022.869143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Mobile transdiagnostic therapies offer a solution to the challenges of limited access to psychological care. However, it is unclear if individuals can actively synthesize and adopt concepts and skills via an app without clinician support. Aims The present study measured comprehension of and engagement with a mobile acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) intervention in two independent cohorts. Authors hypothesized that participants would recognize that behaviors can be flexible in form and function and respond in an ACT process-aligned manner. Methods Mixed-methods analyses were performed on open-ended responses collected from initial participants (n = 49) in two parallel micro-randomized trials with: 1) first-generation college students (FGCSs) (n = 25) from a four-year public research university and 2) individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder (BP) (n = 24). Twice each day over six weeks, participants responded to questions about mood and behavior, after which they had a 50-50 chance of receiving an ACT-based intervention. Participants identified current behavior and categorized behavior as values-based or avoidant. Interventions were selected randomly from 84 possible prompts, each targeting one ACT process: engagement with values, openness to internal experiences, or self-awareness. Participants were randomly assigned to either exploratory (10 FGCS, 9 BP) or confirmatory (15 FGCS, 15 BP) groups for analyses. Responses from the exploratory group were used to inductively derive a qualitative coding system. This system was used to code responses in the confirmatory group. Coded confirmatory data were used for final analyses. Results Over 50% of participants in both cohorts submitted a non-blank response 100% of the time. For over 50% of participants, intervention responses aligned with the target ACT process for at least 96% of the time (FGCS) and 91% of the time (BP), and current behavior was labeled as values-based 70% (FGCS) and 85% (BP) of the time. Participants labeled similar behaviors flexibly as either values-based or avoidant in different contexts. Dominant themes were needs-based behaviors, interpersonal and family relationships, education, and time as a cost. Conclusions Both cohorts were engaged with the app, as demonstrated by responses that aligned with ACT processes. This suggests that participants had some level of understanding that behavior can be flexible in form and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney Hoel
- Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Amanda Victory
- Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | | | - Zachary N. Stowe
- Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | | | - Amy Cochran
- Population Health Sciences and Mathematics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- *Correspondence: Amy Cochran
| | - Emily B. K. Thomas
- Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
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Fuentes A, Oyanadel C, Zimbardo P, González-Loyola M, Olivera-Figueroa LA, Peñate W. Mindfulness and Balanced Time Perspective: Predictive Model of Psychological Well-Being and Gender Differences in College Students. Eur J Investig Health Psychol Educ 2022; 12:306-318. [PMID: 35323208 PMCID: PMC8946884 DOI: 10.3390/ejihpe12030022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The aims of the study were to establish an adjustment model to analyze the relationship among mindfulness, balanced time perspective (BTP) and psychological well-being (PWB) in college students and to explore gender differences among the variables. Method: The sample consisted of 380 college students, 220 women and 160 men, uniformly distributed according to the university’s faculties. Results: The results indicate that the synergy between mindfulness and BTP predicts the variance of PWB by 55%. Regarding gender differences, it was found that women have a greater tendency towards Past Positive than men and men a higher tendency towards Present Hedonistic than women. In addition, in the group of women, a stronger relationship was found among the variables and, consequently, a greater predictive value for PWB (58%), displaying an enhanced disposition to high PWB compared to men. Conclusions: Together, mindfulness and BTP promote optimal psychological functioning and alleviate or reduce discomfort. Thus, their promotion and training in universities is especially important given the high prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in college students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Fuentes
- Department of Psychology, Universidad de Concepcion, Concepcion 4030000, Chile; (A.F.); (M.G.-L.)
| | - Cristián Oyanadel
- Department of Psychology, Universidad de Concepcion, Concepcion 4030000, Chile; (A.F.); (M.G.-L.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Philip Zimbardo
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA;
| | - Melissa González-Loyola
- Department of Psychology, Universidad de Concepcion, Concepcion 4030000, Chile; (A.F.); (M.G.-L.)
| | | | - Wenceslao Peñate
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychobiology and Methodology, Universidad de La Laguna, 38200 La Laguna, Spain;
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Zhao C, Ren Z, Jiang G, Zhang L. Mechanisms of change in an Internet-Based ACT study for depression in China. JOURNAL OF CONTEXTUAL BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcbs.2022.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Larsson A, Hartley S, McHugh L. A randomised controlled trial of brief web-based acceptance and commitment Therapy on the general mental health, depression, anxiety and stress of college Students. JOURNAL OF CONTEXTUAL BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcbs.2022.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Bricker JB, Levin M, Lappalainen R, Mull K, Sullivan B, Santiago-Torres M. Mechanisms of Smartphone Apps for Cigarette Smoking Cessation: Results of a Serial Mediation Model From the iCanQuit Randomized Trial. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2021; 9:e32847. [PMID: 34751662 PMCID: PMC8663588 DOI: 10.2196/32847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Engagement with digital interventions is a well-known predictor of treatment outcomes, but this knowledge has had limited actionable value. Instead, learning why engagement with digital interventions impact treatment outcomes can lead to targeted improvements in their efficacy. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to test a serial mediation model of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) smartphone intervention for smoking cessation. METHODS In this randomized controlled trial, participants (N=2415) from 50 US states were assigned to the ACT-based smartphone intervention (iCanQuit) or comparison smartphone intervention (QuitGuide). Their engagement with the apps (primary measure: number of logins) was measured during the first 3 months, ACT processes were measured at baseline and 3 months (acceptance of internal cues to smoke, valued living), and smoking cessation was measured at 12 months with 87% follow-up retention. RESULTS There was a significant serial mediation effect of iCanQuit on smoking cessation through multiple indicators of intervention engagement (ie, total number of logins, total number of minutes used, and total number of unique days of use) and in turn through increases in mean acceptance of internal cues to smoke from baseline to 3 months. Analyses of the acceptance subscales showed that the mediation was through acceptance of physical sensations and emotions, but not acceptance of thoughts. There was no evidence that the effect of the iCanQuit intervention was mediated through changes in valued living. CONCLUSIONS In this first study of serial mediators underlying the efficacy of smartphone apps for smoking cessation, our results suggest the effect of the iCanQuit ACT-based smartphone app on smoking cessation was mediated through multiple indicators of engagement and in turn through increases in the acceptance of physical sensations and emotions that cue smoking. TRIAL REGISTRATION Clinical Trials.gov NCT02724462; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02724462.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan B Bricker
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States.,Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Michael Levin
- Department of Psychology, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
| | - Raimo Lappalainen
- Department of Psychology, University of Jyvaskyla, Jyvaskyla, Finland
| | - Kristin Mull
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Brianna Sullivan
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Margarita Santiago-Torres
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
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Monteiro F, Pereira M, Canavarro MC, Fonseca A. Be a Mom, a Web-Based Intervention to Promote Positive Mental Health Among Postpartum Women With Low Risk for Postpartum Depression: Exploring Psychological Mechanisms of Change. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:701107. [PMID: 34335336 PMCID: PMC8316830 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.701107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: This study explored whether Be a Mom, a brief and unguided cognitive behavioral web-based intervention, was effective in promoting psychological processes (self-compassion, psychological flexibility, emotion regulation) among low-risk postpartum women. Effects of Be a Mom in psychological processes compared with a control group were examined at post-intervention and at 4-months follow-up. Additionally, this work explored whether changes in psychological processes mediated improvements in positive mental health at postintervention. Methods: In total, 367 postpartum women presenting low risk for postpartum depression were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n = 191) or to a waiting-list control group (n = 176). Results: Compared with the control group, the intervention group reported significantly greater baseline to postintervention increases in self-compassion. No significant effects were found at the 4-month follow-up. Multilevel mediation showed that self-compassion improvements significantly mediated improvements in positive mental health among the intervention group. No significant results were found for psychological flexibility or emotion regulation. Conclusions: This study suggests that Be a Mom has the potential to cultivate self-compassion among low-risk postpartum women and that this may be a key mechanism for promoting positive mental health in this context. Clinical Trial Registration: www.clinicaltrials.gov, identifier: NCT04055974.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiana Monteiro
- University of Coimbra, Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Behavioral Intervention, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Marco Pereira
- University of Coimbra, Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Behavioral Intervention, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Maria Cristina Canavarro
- University of Coimbra, Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Behavioral Intervention, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana Fonseca
- University of Coimbra, Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Behavioral Intervention, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Coimbra, Portugal
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