TY  - EJOU
AU  - Wang, Jing 
AU  - Fang, Shuanghu 
AU  - Li, Zihua 
AU  - Ma, Shaoyong 

TI  - Effects of Internet-Based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on College Students’ Mental Health: A Randomized Controlled Trial
T2  - International Journal of Mental Health Promotion

PY  - 2025
VL  - 27
IS  - 6
SN  - 2049-8543

AB  -  <b>Objectives:</b> College students face increasing mental health challenges. Although Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is effective, the efficacy of Internet-based ACT (iACT) needs further exploration. <b>Methods:</b> This study examines the efficacy of iACT on college students’ mental health through a randomized controlled trial. We recruited 90 college students (19.16 ± 1.02 years old) and randomly divided them into the iACT group, face-to-face ACT group, and control group. The effects of the interventions were evaluated using the comprehensive assessment of ACT processes (CompACT) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21). <b>Results:</b> Two-factor repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant time main effect of iACT. Face-to-face ACT and iACT effectively improved college students’ psychological flexibility [F(2, 83) = 18.78, <i>p</i> < 0.001, η<sup>2</sup> = 0.18] and alleviated their negative emotions [F(2, 82) = 41.17, <i>p</i> < 0.001, η<sup>2</sup> = 0.36]. Face-to-face ACT exhibited sustained effects on improving participants’ psychological flexibility and alleviating their negative emotions (<i>p</i> < 0.001), while iACT showed no sustained effect on improving participants’ psychological flexibility (<i>p</i> > 0.05). <b>Conclusion:</b> While iACT and face-to-face ACT are effective short-term interventions, face-to-face ACT demonstrates superior sustainability. Integrating guided sessions into iACT may enhance long-term outcomes. These findings advocate for blended interventions to address college students’ mental health needs, particularly in resource-limited settings.
KW  - Internet-based acceptance and commitment therapy; mental health; college students; randomized controlled trial

DO  - 10.32604/ijmhp.2025.061476