Title:Utility of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Among Adolescents - A Systematic Review
Volume: 18
Issue: 2
Author(s): Divya Baveja*, Jyotsana Shukla and Srishti Srivastava
Affiliation:
- Amity Institute of Behavioral and Allied Sciences (AIBAS), AB-6, Amity University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh - 226028, India
Keywords:
Acceptance and commitment therapy, ACT, adolescents, adolescent mental health, systematic review, third-wave therapy.
Abstract: Background: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is one of the third
wave therapies that came as a response to certain limitations of cognitive-behavioral therapies
and other existent psychotherapeutic models, which emphasizes changing the context
of cognition rather than the content. ACT has a fast-growing evidence base, and its literature
among the adolescent population is in its infancy.
Objective: The authors attempted to consolidate findings of ACT’s effectiveness for clinical
problems among the adolescent population.
Methods: Electronic databases of PubMed, PsycArticles, PsycINFO, Sage, and ProQuest
were searched for published studies and unpublished doctoral dissertations until April 2021.
After adopting a two-staged screening process, 19 studies were selected, which included
randomized controlled trials, case reports, and other quasi-experimental studies reporting
results from ACT or ACT-based intervention given to a population of adolescents for any
clinical conditions or concern. The authors present a narrative systematic review of these 19
studies, including a methodological assessment.
Results: Results showed ACT to be effective in reducing objectively measured clinical
symptoms and interference caused by them. Subjective accounts by adolescents and caregivers
also corroborated that. More rigorous RCTs and comparisons with other active treatments
are needed to improve the evidence base as such studies were few and had some
methodological flaws. The authors also discuss certain limitations in assessing the effectiveness
of ACT in such studies.
Conclusion: The ACT model could serve as a promising alternative approach to be used
with adolescents across many concerns, with an emphasis on improving the quality of life
and their engagement with valued goals.
