The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment based therapy on students' self-efficacy beliefs and academic vitality

Today, self-efficacy beliefs and vitality are extensively foregrounded. Studies show that to change behavior and cognition, it is imperative to strengthen individuals’ psychological relationships with their thoughts and feelings by enabling them to select appropriate alternatives from various choices and not perform actions to avoid bothersome thoughts, feelings, memories, or desires. Thus, can Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), with its six principles of diffusion, acceptance, contact with the present moment, the observing self, values, and committed action lead to self-efficient beliefs and academic vitality?

The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of ACT on students’ self-efficacy beliefs and academic vitality.

This research was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest control group design. The statistical population included all grade 2 high school students in district 3 of Tehran during the 2020-2021 academic year. Thirty students were selected by mixed (simple and convenience) sampling and assigned into experimental and control groups. Sherer’s (1980) self-efficacy scale and Martin and March’s (2006) academic vitality questionnaire were used for data collection, and Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) was employed for data analysis.

The results showed that ACT improved students’ self-efficacy beliefs and academic vitality in the posttest (p<0.01).

According to the findings of this research, we can assert that ACT improves self-efficacy beliefs and academic vitality by enhancing psychological flexibility. Hence, awareness of these interventions can positively impact students.