ACT in school settings: A pilot study of ACT-based universal group psycho-educational program among Japanese early adolescents

The objective of this investigation was to assess the efficacy of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based group psycho-educational intervention within school environments, administered by psychologists, for early adolescents in Japan. The effectiveness indices measured in this study were ‘clarification of value and commitment (CVC)’ and ‘experiential avoidance (EA)’ as indicators of psychological flexibility of ACT, and self-esteem and self-determination disposition as outcome indices related to well-being. The participants in this study were Japanese junior high school students with a mean age of 14.85 years (SD = 0.86), 112 in the intervention group and 143 in the control group, who completed questionnaires at three time points: before the program (pre), after attending the program (post) and three weeks after the posttest (follow-up). The intervention program, which consisted of three short-term sessions, was shown to be effective in the CVC, self-esteem, and self-determination disposition scores. Conversely, the group-time interaction did not yield a notable impact on the persistence of avoidance behaviors and EA scores, suggesting a potential avenue for refinement in intervention methodologies regarding these domains. These findings offer insight into the potential effectiveness of ACT-based group psycho-educational endeavors in school settings led by psychologists. •We examined the effectiveness of an ACT-based universal program conducted in an educational setting.•This program has shown effectiveness in fostering value, boosting self-esteem, and promoting self-determination.•This program was shown to have a certain effect even with short-term sessions.