Developmental trajectories of experiential avoidance and depressive symptoms and association to health behaviors among adolescents during brief guided online acceptance and commitment therapy

Abstract While many children and adolescents experience psychological problems with up to 20 percent estimated to develop a mental health problem, only few receive treatment. Online interventions can help respond to the need of support among young people without requiring considerable resources. However, relatively few studies have examined the efficacy of online interventions for youth and more research is needed to understand individual differences in benefiting from these interventions. The current study sought to examine different developmental trajectories of experiential avoidance and depressive symptoms and their association to health behaviors measured at baseline during a brief gui…

Early sudden gains in an acceptance and values-based intervention: Effects on treatment outcome for depression and psychological flexibility

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to explore early temporal patterns of change in a treatment delivered by novice therapists. We examined if early sudden gains (ESGs) in a six-session acceptance and values-based intervention would produce superior treatment outcomes when compared to slower improvements. Method The temporal patterns of change of 56 clients diagnosed with depression were analyzed. ESGs were defined as reaching the status of recovered or improved in the Reliable Change Index (RCI) (Jacobson & Truax (1991)) classification after two sessions. The group with ESGs was then compared to participants without ESGs for differences in treatment outcome on measures of symptoma…

In the shadow of COVID-19: A randomized controlled online ACT trial promoting adolescent psychological flexibility and self-compassion.

Background Although some adolescents managed to cope well with the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the well-being of many was adversely affected due to school closures, distance education, restrictions on gathering with friends, and limited access to mental health services. Many adolescents reported increased anxiety and depression as well as decreased psychological wellbeing due to the pandemic. Consequently, there is a need for psychological support that exceeds the strained resources available to schools to support young people during times of crisis and societal pressure. Objective The present study aimed to explore the effects of an online-delivered ACT intervention to …

Effectiveness of a web-based acceptance and commitment therapy program for adolescent career preparation : A randomized controlled trial

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) programs have rarely been used as tools for promoting adolescents' career preparation. This randomized controlled trial examined the possibility to promote the career preparation of Finnish ninth-grade adolescents (n = 249, 49% females) with a web-based five-week ACT-based online intervention program. Participants were randomly assigned to three conditions, of which two groups received an iACT including support via SMS (iACTface: iACT+two face-to-face sessions; only iACT: iACT with no face-to-face sessions) and the third (control) group received no treatment. The results showed that career-related insecurity decreased as a result of the intervention i…

The Roles of Adherence and Usage Activity in Adolescents' Intervention Gains During Brief Guided Online Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

OBJECTIVEThis study investigated the roles of adherence and usage activity in adolescents’ (n = 161) gains during a 5-week web intervention program based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).METHODProgram adherence was calculated as adherence percentage in relation to intended usage, whereas completion percentage, usage time, and usage weeks were used as indicators for usage activity. Subjective well-being was measured by self-reported life satisfaction and stress before and after the intervention.RESULTSFirst, regression analysis results showed that higher adherence predicted an increase in life satisfaction during intervention. Second, three subgroups of adolescents were identified …

Magis : maaginen seikkailu : tehtävävihko

Competence and adherence in an acceptance and values-based intervention: Effects on treatment outcome and early changes in depression

Abstract Background The present study investigated competence and adherence in an acceptance- and values-based intervention and their impact on the outcomes of treatment and early changes in depression. Method A total of 74 sessions delivered by novice therapists (n = 37) were rated for overall competence and adherence to treatment manual, as well as for process-specific components of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) using the ACT Adherence Scale (Plumb & Vilardaga, 2010). The relationships between (a) competence and adherence, (b) treatment outcome, and (c) early therapeutic changes among patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (n = 37) were explored. Results Higher compet…

A brief Acceptance and Commitment Therapy intervention for depression : A randomized controlled trial with 3-year follow-up for the intervention group

Abstract Objective This study examined the outcomes of a brief Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention for depression delivered by novice therapists. Method Participants (N = 115) were randomized either to the brief (six sessions) ACT or to a waitlist control condition (WLC). Outcomes were assessed with diagnoses of depressive episodes (ICD-10) and questionnaires. Results After the 6-week intervention, diagnostic remission rates were 60% in the ACT and 22% in the control group. Further, 70% of the ACT participants were classified as either recovered or improved. The post-measurement between-group effect size for depression symptoms was large and favored the ACT group (BDI-II, d…

A randomized controlled trial protocol for persistent physical symptoms associated with indoor environment or chronic fatigue : Effectiveness of video-based functional case conceptualization and web-program for improving quality of life

IntroductionPersistent physical symptoms (PPS) refer to symptoms that cannot be fully explained by structural bodily pathology or by environmental factors. Their impact on daily functioning varies from mild to severe disability. So far, evidence-based treatments for PPS have resulted in only small to moderate effects. Treatment protocols with a stronger orientation toward personalized approaches are needed to improve the efficacy and applicability of treatment. In this study, we aim to assess the effect of an online individual case conceptualization with web-based program for PPS. This study is conducted among two focus groups: patients with indoor air-related symptoms and patients with chr…

Long-term stability of early sudden gains in an acceptance and values-based intervention

Though previous research has extensively reported that sudden gains are associated with superior treatment results, research on the long-term effects and stability of sudden gains is not as consistent. The current study explored the long-term stability of early sudden gains (ESGs) observed in a brief acceptance and values-based intervention for depression provided by novice therapists. The participants were 56 volunteers diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Among the participants, 23% experienced ESGs, i.e. they reached the status of improved or recovered in the Reliable Change Index (RCI; Jacobson & Truax, 1991) classification after only two sessions. The current study examined the le…

Usage activity, perceived usefulness, and satisfaction in a web-based acceptance and commitment therapy program among Finnish ninth-grade adolescents.

Understanding adolescent usage activity and experiences in web-based psychological intervention programs helps in developing universal programs that can be adopted for promotion of adolescent well-being and prevention of mental health problems. This study examined the usage activity, perceived usefulness (i.e., learning of mindfulness, acceptance and value-related skills), and program satisfaction of 157 Finnish ninth-grade adolescents, who participated in a school-based five-week universal acceptance and commitment therapy web intervention called Youth Compass. Individual and growth environment-related antecedents were measured before the five-week intervention, adolescents' usage activity…

Digitaalisen Nuorten Kompassi plus -hyvinvointiohjelman soveltuvuus lukiolaisille

Psyykkinen hyvinvointi on kulmakivi, johon nuoren oppiminen nojaa; hyvinvointi vaikuttaa merkittävättä tavalla nuoren opintosuoriutumiseen ja työelämävalmiuksien omaksumiseen. Tämä on tiedostettu nykyisessä lainsäädännössä, joka velvoittaa oppilaitoksia vahvistamaan opiskelijoiden hyvinvointia. Tarvitaan tutkittuja, vaikuttavia, helposti saatavilla olevia menetelmiä, jotta voidaan laaja-alaisesti tukea nuorten hyvinvointia erilaisista ammatillisista viitekehyksistä käsin. Jyväskylän yliopiston psykologian laitoksella on kehitetty tähän haasteeseen vastaava Nuorten Kompassi plus -hyvinvointiohjelma, joka perustuu hyväksyntä- ja tietoisuustaitojen harjoitteluun sekä arvotyöskentelyyn. Se toim…

Magis : maaginen seikkailu : opettajan työkirja

Magis-mobiilipelin tavoitteena on hyödyntää tarinallisen pelin maailmaa hyvinvointitaitojen tukemisessa. Pelin kehittämistyössä on keskitytty erityisesti huolehtimaan pelin soveltuvuudesta kouluympäristöön. Opas kuvaa tiiviissä muodossa Magis-pelin taustalla olevat keskeiset periaatteeta ja esittää valmiin suunnitelman pelin peluuttamiseen kokonaisen luokan kanssa. Pelin kehityksen parissa on työskennellyt monitieteellinen työryhmä koostuen psykollgian, mielenterveystyön, kasvatusalan ja pelinkehittämisen ammattilaisia. nonPeerReviewed

Effectiveness of a web-based acceptance and commitment therapy program for adolescent career preparation: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) programs have rarely been used as tools for promoting adolescents' career preparation. This randomized controlled trial examined the possibility to promote the career preparation of Finnish ninth-grade adolescents (n = 249, 49% females) with a web-based five-week ACT-based online intervention program. Participants were randomly assigned to three conditions, of which two groups received an iACT including support via SMS (iACTface: iACT+two face-to-face sessions; only iACT: iACT with no face-to-face sessions) and the third (control) group received no treatment. The results showed that career-related insecurity decreased as a result of the inter…

The role of thought suppression and psychological inflexibility in older family caregivers’ psychological symptoms and quality of life

Abstract Background Family caregivers often report high levels of distress, including depressive symptoms, anxiety, and reduced quality of life. There is a need for a greater understanding of the factors influencing, explaining, and maintaining psychological distress in family caregivers. Aim The aim of this study was to examine whether avoidance strategies such as thought suppression (WBSI), psychological inflexibility (AAQ-II), and, and caregiver experiential avoidance (EACQ) predict psychological distress (BDI-II, GAD-7) and quality of life (WHOQOL) in family caregivers aged 60 and over. We hypothesized that these avoidance strategies would explain elevated levels of psychological sympto…