The influence of acceptance and commitment therapy on fulfillment of adolescent's mental health development task and their coping skills

Abstract

Background: Crisis development experienced by adolescents puts them at a developmental risk associated with the physiological and psychological changes. One major development task of adolescents at the time is to achieve self-identity. Therefore adolescents should have acceptance and commitment to oneself to fulfill the development task and maintain mental health coping. Many studies have found the efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in patients with schizophrenia and chronic renal failure in Indonesia, but there has been no research on the effectiveness of this therapy on fulfillment of adolescent mental health, their development task and their coping. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the influence of ACT on adolescent’s mental health development task and their coping skills. Methods: A single arm pre-post study was conducted on 37 nursing students at first grade. ACT was administered by the psychiatric nurse as a therapist. Adolescent health and development questionnaire (AHDQ) and cope inventory (CI) were used. The data was analyzed using paired t-test and ANOVA tests. Results: AHDQ (change: M =18.48) and CI scores (change: M =-22.48) improved significantly after ACT (t-test; p<0.05). The effect of ACT was highly significant in AHDQ (p < .01, F (171.94) = 1580.59) and CI (p< .01, F (197.36) = 3118.12). Conclusion: The ACT can increase nursing students’ capability to fulfill the mental health development tasks and strengthen their coping skills. This intervention should become a part of nursing school mental health program.