Effects of Group Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-Based Training on Job Stress and Burnout

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of group acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) on job stress and burnout among personnel of Islamic Azad University، Azadshahr branch. Ninety-six personnel of Islamic Azad University، Azadshahr branch were selected by volunteer available sampling method and assigned randomly to three experimental، let’s talk and control groups. During four 1. 5-hour sessions، the experimental group received acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) based on the Bond and Hayes model. Let’s talk group received nutrition and sports instructions (irrelevant to ACT) during four sessions of 1. 5 hours. Control group received no training. Three months after the main training and in the follow-up stage، experimental and let’s talk groups had two sessions of 1. 5 hours. During these sessions previous contents were reviewed again. Before and after interventions and during follow-up stage، the examinees completed Osipow’s Occupational Stress Inventory and Maslach and Jackson Job Burnout Inventory. Data analysis was done using repeated measures analysis of variance. Group training based on the ACT not only decreased total job stress (p<0. 001) but also diminished job stress factors، including role overload (p<0. 05)، role ambiguity (p<0. 001)، role boundary (p<0. 01)، and responsibility (p<0. 001). Besides، ACT-based training decreased personal achievement (p<0. 05). Group ACT-based training decreases job stress but has no considerable effect on job burnout.