Evaluating the Implementation of an Intervention Based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Postsecondary Institutions

ABSTRACT

This qualitative study concerns the implementation of an intervention based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) within nine postsecondary Canadian institutions. Its goal is to identify the factors that facilitate or hinder the implementation of the Korsa workshops (https://korsa.uqam.ca/), an intervention aimed at reducing psychological distress and promoting well-being among college and university students. Twenty-two (N = 22) mental health professionals (e.g., psychologists) met with at least one group of students after offering the Korsa workshops at their institution. These practitioners maintain that the primary factors facilitating the implementation of the intervention are: 1) the support they received from directors and colleagues, 2) the effectiveness of the methods used to promote the intervention and recruit students, and 3) the fact that the workshops were delivered in groups of two. However, they report that 1) the length of the intervention, and 2) the fact that the latter was difficult to fit into a semester without intruding on students’ exam periods hinder its implementation. This study allows a better understanding of what facilitates the accessibility and sustainability of interventions based on ACT in postsecondary institutions and offers recommendations to facilitate the implementation of this type of intervention among students.

KEYWORDS:

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
• postsecondary students
• implementation
• facilitating factors
• obstacles

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Colleges, also called “Cégeps” in French, have a specific meaning in Quebec’s educational system. Since high school lasts 5 years and bachelor’s degrees last 3, colleges offer 2-year programs that facilitate the transition from high school to university. They also offer 3-year diplomas that lead to a technician level of employment.