Effekter av stresshantering utifrån Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) och övningens betydelse för förändrat förhållningssätt hos universitetsstudenter
Occupational healthIndustrial medicinePreventionStudenterAcceptance and Commitment therapy (ACT)StressYrkesmedicinArbetsmiljömedicinPsychologyPsykologiSocial SciencesMedicine and Health Sciences
The aims of the present study were to implement and evaluate a three-session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) stress management intervention in a non-clinical group of university students (N = 25) and to investigate the importance of practice in an ACT-intervention. A design with pre-test and double post-test was chosen. A comparison was made between a nine-hour ACT-intervention containing practice for the participants, a two-hour lecture on ACT and stress management containing no practice for the participants and a control group. Psychological flexibility was assessed with Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-2 and mindfulness was measured with Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills. Perceived stress level was measured with Perceived Stress Scale. The participants filled out questionnaires created by the authors. The participants in the three-session intervention had no significant change in psychological flexibility, but a statistically significant increase in mindfulness. The other conditions showed no significant change in psychological flexibility or mindfulness. There were no significant differences between the three conditions at any time. Some conclusions can be drawn. The three-session ACT-intervention could be a contribution in aiding students to prevent and cope with work-related stress. There are also indications that the use of practice makes a difference.