An internet-delivered acceptance and commitment therapy program for anxious affect, depression, and wellbeing: A randomized, parallel, two-group, waitlist-controlled trial in a Middle Eastern sample of college students

• Published in: PloS one 2024-12, Vol.19 (12), p.e0313243
• Main Authors: Vally, Zahir, Shah, Harshil, Varga, Sabina-Ioana, Hassan, Widad, Kashakesh, Mariam, Albreiki, Wafa, Helmy, Mai
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Academic achievement; Acceptance; Acceptance and Commitment Therapy - methods; Adolescent; Adult; Anxiety; Anxiety - psychology; Anxiety - therapy; Biology and Life Sciences; College students; Colleges & universities; Context; Data collection; Depression - psychology; Depression - therapy; Depression, Mental; Diagnosis; Effectiveness; Evidence-based medicine; Feasibility studies; Female; Humans; Informed consent; Internet; Internet-Based Intervention; Intervention; Male; Medicine and Health Sciences; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Mental health; Middle East; Mindfulness; Participation; Psychological aspects; Psychotherapy; Research and Analysis Methods; Risk factors; Social aspects; Social Sciences; Students; Students - psychology; Therapists; Therapy; Universities; Waiting Lists; Well being; Young Adult; Young adults
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0313243

College students during the young adult years are at elevated risk for the development of anxiety and depressive difficulties. Moreover, a preliminary body of evidence suggests that, for those who reside in Middle Eastern contexts, despite an established need, sociocultural impediments prevent active psychological help-seeking. Internet-delivered, self-directed mental health programs may hold significant promise to alleviate these difficulties in contexts where individuals would otherwise not enlist the support of a mental health practitioner. The present study developed a bespoke, 4-module, internet-delivered program based upon acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) principles and tested its feasibility and efficacy within the context a randomized controlled trial. A total of 129 participants were randomized to receive either the ACT program or to a waitlist control condition. Assessments of generalized anxiety, social anxiety, depressive affect, and wellbeing were administered at baseline and at post-intervention. Analyses indicated that the intervention was efficacious in mitigating both generalized and social anxiety and in improving wellbeing. These results provide preliminary evidence of the feasibility and efficacy of internet-delivered ACT in a Middle Eastern context.