Two randomized controlled trials of the efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy-based educational course for body shape dissatisfaction

SELVİ K., Parling T., Ljotsson B., Welch E., Ghaderi A.

SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY, vol.62, no.2, pp.249-258, 2021 (SSCI) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 62 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2021
  • Doi Number: 10.1111/sjop.12684
  • Journal Name: SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Periodicals Index Online, CINAHL, Educational research abstracts (ERA), EMBASE, MEDLINE, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, Psycinfo
  • Page Numbers: pp.249-258
  • Keywords: Body shape dissatisfaction, acceptance and commitment therapy, educational course, guided and pure self-help, discussion forum, randomized controlled trial, SELF-HELP, IMAGE DISSATISFACTION, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, INTERNET, INTERVENTIONS, ADOLESCENTS, DISORDERS, SUPPORT, ONSET
  • Eskisehir Osmangazi University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The main aim of this project was to explore the efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based educational course in different formats (i.e., pure and guided self-help with different durations, and guided self-help with and without access to a discussion forum) for body shape dissatisfaction. Two randomized controlled studies (RCT) were carried out. In the first RCT, the participants were randomized to a 12- or 16-week guided self-help, a 16-week pure self-help, or a waitlist control condition. In the second RCT, the efficacy of 12-week guided self-help with or without access to a discussion forum was investigated. ACT-based self-help resulted in promising improvements in body shape dissatisfaction, and modest effects on general health indicators (i.e., symptom of depression, self-esteem, satisfaction with life, and quality of life). The findings also showed no additional effects of support, access to the online discussion forum, and longer duration of self-help, suggesting the 12-week self-help with or without support is a viable option for reducing body shape dissatisfaction.