Embedding acceptance and commitment therapy in postgraduate psychology education: A South African action research study

Lauren Martin^1,*, Henry D. Mason², Juan A. Nel³
1 Office of the Dean, South African College of Applied Psychology (SACAP), Johannesburg, South Africa
2 Directorate of Student Development and Support, Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), Pretoria, South Africa
3 Department of Psychology, University of South Africa (Unisa), Pretoria, South Africa
* Corresponding Author: Lauren Martin. Email: email

Journal of Psychology in Africa https://doi.org/10.32604/jpa.2026.073424

Received 17 September 2025; Accepted 27 February 2026; Published online 09 April 2026

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Abstract

This study explored how psychology educators in South Africa can be professionally developed to embed Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) principles into their pedagogy, thereby enhancing psychological flexibility among postgraduate students. Using a Collaborative Action Research approach, seven educators and thirteen students participated in a ten-month intervention comprising four iterative cycles of training, implementation, and reflection. The thematic analysis found that ACT-informed pedagogy not only promoted student resilience, present-moment awareness (mindfulness), and values-based engagement (authenticity) but also catalysed shifts in educator identity toward more reflexive teaching. Students cultivated resilience by learning to tolerate emotional discomfort and sustain values-driven action, while developing mindfulness through present-moment awareness that fostered engagement. This process also nurtured authenticity, as students aligned their academic and professional identities with personally meaningful values, paralleled by educators’ growing reflexivity and relational openness, signalling a values-informed pedagogy. These findings provide a theoretically grounded, contextually responsive model for cultivating soft skills in higher education, affirming the potential of ACT as a scalable, culturally congruent framework for professional development.

Keywords

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT); collaborative action research (CAR); higher education pedagogy; mindfulness-based interventions; postgraduate psychology education; psychological flexibility; soft skills development