The Effectiveness of a Counseling Program Based on Acceptance and Commitment therapy (ACT) in Reducing Symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa Disorder (BND) and Improving Body Image Satisfaction among Overweight Women

Abstract

This study aimed at investigating the effectiveness of a counseling program based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in reducing symptoms of bulimia nervosa disorder (BND) and improving body image satisfaction among a sample of overweight women using a fitness center in Irbid, Jordan. The study purposive sample consisted of (n = 24) women, randomly assigned to two groups: the experimental that participated in the counseling program based on acceptance and commitment therapy, and the delayed control that was used for comparison purposes. This study used a pre-post equivalent group’s randomized quasi-experiment. Results revealed statistically significant differences at the level 0.05 in the mean total scale of bulimia nervosa disorder (BND) and its seven dimensions sub-subscales, image scales, at post-test, between the experimental and control groups in favor of the experimental group, which indicates the efficiency of the group counseling program used in the study. Also, when comparing between the results of the post-test and the follow-up, results showed positive differences between the mean for the experimental group, and no significant 0.05 differences in the mean total scales among the experimental group in the post - follow-up tests. This confirms the continued effectiveness of the counseling program in helping overweight women.