Using ACT to Increase Class Engagement in University Students

Abstract

The transition from high school to university can be difficult for students. In the face of academic failures, students may develop thoughts of self-doubt that interfere with engagement in future opportunities for academic success. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a process-based therapy that aims to increase psychological flexibility skills and decrease psychological inflexibility skills. ACT is derived from Relational Frame Theory (RFT), which states that arbitrary stimuli can be put into relation with each other, and the function of one stimulus can transfer to the other stimuli within the relational frame. In the present study, we will use ACT-based exercise to teach psychological flexibility skills to university students to increase class engagement behaviours (attending class, starting assignments early, studying, etc.). Using a non-concurrent multiple baseline across participants design, we will examine the changes in class engagement behaviours across time as psychological flexibility skills are taught. We predict that as psychological flexibility skills are learned, psychological inflexibility and procrastination behaviours will decrease, and class engagement behaviours will increase. Such findings will suggest that psychological flexibility skills are useful in helping students achieve their academic goals.

Faculty Mentor: Miranda Macauley